


Konoha's Pet Shop

by TheBeardedOne



Series: The Plot Files [2]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Plot Bunnies - Freeform, Work Up For Adoption
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-25
Updated: 2020-11-26
Packaged: 2021-03-09 23:35:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 21
Words: 130,933
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27714173
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheBeardedOne/pseuds/TheBeardedOne
Summary: These chapters contain chapters that I wrote for certain Naruto stories which started promisingly… until my muse decided to relocate to run awayI am therefore posting these fragments in the hope that someone out there (hint hint) can take the barely-connected ramblings which hover on the verge of insanity and through hard work and effort (or lots of alcohol) produce something readable.To do so, just take the chapters and use them as a basis for your own work. Permission is granted in advance.
Series: The Plot Files [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2023306
Kudos: 7





	1. Boss Training

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a time-travel fic, but rather than having one of the main characters travel back, I chose someone who I don't think has been done before.  
> Since I couldn't find the canon names of Konohamaru's parents, I nicked them from Pudgypudge's story [The Melt.](https://www.fanfiction.net/s/4057805/1/The-Melt) Thanks Pudgypudge, I owe you one.
> 
> Celestial Dragon King Kyoleth has adopted this one-shot. [Find his version here.](https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13659856/1/Different-Path)  
> 

**Prologue**

The whimpers of the injured and the cries of the bereaved echoed around the ruins of what had once been the mightiest village in the Elemental Nations. Standing on the pile of rubble that had once been the Hokage Tower, Konohamaru looked out over the miles of burning ash and embers that had once been the forest that had surrounded Konoha. Beyond the ashes, the forces arrayed against Konoha were barely visible as movement on the horizon. Shaking his head, Konohamaru descended from the vantage point, cursing his lack of depth-perception and his missing arm. Reaching the ground, he moved through the severely-depleted ranks of Shinobi, reaching the room where a familiar figure lay.

"Rokudaime, you were right. They are gathering again."

The bandaged man on the bed nodded, then struggled to sit up. Konohamaru helped him, his eye once again refusing to focus on the stumps that had once been both arms and a leg.

"I assume we cannot win."

Konohamaru nodded at the quiet statement. "We have lost, Boss, we have less than a dozen shinobi capable of fighting, three dozen if you count partials such as myself. They have _another_ damned army."

"And I cannot use the Raiton-rasenshuriken again." The Hokage said with a sigh. "We cannot win this one. We… have no choice."

"You will go back?"

"No, I cannot." The Hokage said quietly. "I need to stay here, to die, in order to perform the jutsu. I am not the one to perform this mission…"

For a moment, Konohamaru froze, unwilling to understand.

"But Boss…"

"I know." The Hokage said, smiling underneath his bandages. "I have suspected for almost a year that it might come to this, that's why I had you do all that research, why I taught you all the techniques I know, even Sage Mode and the Hiraishin. I did it so that you can teach me."

Konohamaru blinked as his vision blurred. Ignoring the tears trickling down his cheek, he lowered himself into a full formal prostration.

"Rokudaime Hokage Namikaze-Uzumaki Naruto… I accept the mission you have given me and I swear that I shall complete it."

Naruto nodded. "Then it is time. We need to move now."

.

"We shall buy as much time as we can, Hokage." Temari said, her face unsmiling. Naruto nodded.

"If this works, all of this shall never have been for any of us, except one."

"He's the only one who can do it." Temari said, bowing to Konohamaru. "It is a shame that none of your sensei's survived, but we use what we have. Good luck."

Konohamaru watched her leave, then sighed. "I'll see her smile again." He vowed quietly. "She'll be back with Shikamaru if I have anything to do with it. And this time, their child will survive."

"Time travel is not that simple." Naruto warned. "Every choice you make will ripple outwards. Merely by being back there, you will change history. That is why I ordered you only to research personality profiles and an overview of the main events. Even if they happen, they'll happen differently."

Konohamaru nodded, then helped Naruto across the room, placing him at one of the two focal points of the seal array carved into the ground. Around the room, a dozen other shinobi, each too injured to fight but capable of still moulding chakra, nodded their readiness. Konohamaru looked round, his heart almost breaking as he realised that he and Naruto were the only two Konoha shinobi in the room.

"Are you ready, brother?"

Konohamaru nodded. "Yes, Boss, I'm ready."

"Then," Naruto said, closing his eyes and summoning first his own chakra, then the Kyuubi's, "Let us begin!"

The other ninja around the room closed their eyes and began glowing with released chakra, chakra which funnelled into the great seal and made it start to glow. As they did so, an explosion sounded and dust fell from the roof. Konohamaru gave Naruto a worried look.

"Prepare yourself, brother."

Konohamaru nodded and tried to calm himself. As he knelt down, distant clashes of metal echoed down the staircase.

"Release!"

The chakra surrounding Naruto intensified, a red tail appearing and stabbing into the engraved seal, then a second and a third. With each new tail, the seal fluctuated but the twelve anchoring it managed to hold it steady. Konohamaru watched, engraving the sacrifice he was seeing into his mind. Six tails were lashing, then seven, then eight and Naruto's body seemed to begin to dissipate as the ninth tail emerged, arcing over the seal, then plunging into it.

As the final tail connected, Temari's corpse fell down the stairs, then the light from the seal seemed to freeze, then erupt into a massive flare. Konohamaru saw the anchoring shinobi in his line of sight almost vaporise as the seal surged, then the entire room vanished into a vortex of light that surrounded him, picking him up and flowing through him. For a moment, he saw the enemy flooding into the room, then everything turned gold and he knew no more.

* * *

.

**Chapter One**

Arrival

Light.

Bright light and concerned voices.

Konohamaru inhaled deeply, then opened his eyes. For a few moments, his eyes refused to focus, then the moving shapes slowly resolved themselves into a heartbreakingly familiar figure.

His mother, Eri.

Konohamaru grinned. It had worked! He was back, everything could be fixed!

"You see, nothing wrong, dad. Probably just a nightmare. Now, I think it's time to change his nappy."

Konohamaru froze.

His nappy?

How far back had he gone?

Kami, this was going to be embarrassing!

.

Konohamaru lay in his bed, considering things as much as he could. He needed to somehow meet Naruto and change things enough that Naruto would learn more of what he really needed. From the long discussions he had had with Boss, he had learned that Naruto had suffered from poor chakra control because no-one had actually taught him the exercises he truly needed, the tree-walking and the water-walking. And even after he had learned the Kage Bunshin, it had been years before he had been informed of the learning portion of the jutsu, something that he had taken great pains to inform Konohamaru about when the younger boy had learned the technique.

There was no helping it. He needed to find Naruto and get him help.

But how? And who?

Ebisu was the obvious choice, but it had been several years after they had first encountered each other that the black-clad Jonin (if he was one yet) had finally admitted that his early appraisal of Naruto had been wrong. Hatake Kakashi was out, he may have been a great ANBU and fighter, but his teaching skills were not appropriate to the circumstances. In addition, he was chronically late, something that Konohamaru did not want Naruto to pick up.

Maito Gai… Konohamaru shuddered at the thought of Naruto in green spandex. He had seen it once, as the result of a bet, and it had just been… wrong. Just… wrong.

Uncle Asuma was currently in the Daimyo's court, so he was out.

That left Yuuhi Kurenai, who probably wasn't a Jonin yet. Team 8 had been her first team, so she was still a chunin.

Konohamaru sighed. This was going to be even harder than he had thought.

But he would see it through. He had given his word, and he never went back on his word.

It was his _nindo_ , his ninja way, as taught to him by Naruto.

.

Konohamaru scampered down the hallway on all fours, mentally cursing his underdeveloped body. As soon as he could, he was going to learn to run properly again, dammit! And for more than a half-dozen steps at a time!

His thoughts came to a sudden halt as he heard a familiar name.

"…so why didn't you tell me the orphanage had thrown you out?"

Orphanage? Naruto! Boss!

Konohamaru scrambled through the door as fast as he could and paused, looking at the familiar blond-haired figure. He looked just like the picture of him and jiji, the picture taken on the day that Naruto had been placed into the fourth orphanage, about a year before he enrolled in the academy.

Well, if he had anything to do with it, _that_ would change.

Before Jiji could get up from his armchair, Konohamaru stumbled across to Naruto and grabbed onto his legs, pulling himself upright and looking up at him. After a pause that seemed to last an eternity, Naruto reached down and pulled him up onto the sofa. Unwilling to lose momentum, Konohamaru promptly dived onto his future Hokage and embraced him as tightly as he could.

The room went silent for a moment, then Hiruzen chuckled.

"Well, it would seem that my grandson has taken quite a liking to you, Naruto."

"Nii-san!"

A shocked silence echoed through the room, then Hiruzen coughed to hide his chuckle. "Well, this is… unexpected. Naruto, what have you done to my grandson?"

"I… I haven't done anything!" Naruto protested and Konohamaru grinned without relaxing his grip.

"Konohamaru!"

"It's alright, Eri." Hiruzen laughed. "I think he just made a new friend."

Konohamaru's grin widened. Now he could see Naruto more and… oh hell. How could he train his boss without it looking suspicious?

This was going to be so troublesome.

 _Troublesome_? Had he _really_ just used the word troublesome?

Maybe he'd spent too much time around Shikamaru before he had been sent back.

Well, he had an opportunity to get to know Boss again, and he damned-well wasn't going to waste it.

.

Konohamaru curled up in Naruto's lap, smiling. He'd managed to get Naruto to spend the whole day with him, admittedly by refusing to let go and by using the _puppy dog eyes no jutsu_ whenever Eri or Yahiko had said something about seperating them, and his parents had given in.

Naruto was moving in!

Yahiko had already found out that the orphanages hadn't bothered to teach Naruto to read and had in fact tried to sabotage his early learning, and the scholar in him was _beyond_ furious. When he had thought no-one was paying attention, Yahiko had nipped out and returned with a load of books to help teach Naruto what he needed to know. Of course, he had claimed they were meant for Konohamaru as he grew older, but that until then Naruto was allowed to borrow them as needed.

Jiji had managed not to laugh, but the twinkle in his eyes had been obvious.

Eri herself had been unconvinced until Konohamaru had _accidentally_ spilled some food onto Naruto, making him take of his t-shirt so that it could be wiped clean. The sight of Naruto's scrawny, underfed body with its obvious ribs had appealed to all the motherly instincts that Eri possessed, and her stance had done a complete turnaround from "are you _sure_ he isn't dangerous?" to "no-one does that to a child while _I'm_ around!"

A gentle pair of hands picked Konohamaru up and he looked into his mother's face as she smiled at him.

"Come on, Ko." She said quietly. "Time for bed, Naruto'll still be here in the morning for you. I promise."

Konohamaru smiled and hugged her as she carried him out of the room. As they left, his smile widened as he watched his dad gently pick up Naruto, making sure not to wake him, and move towards the guest bedrooms.

Sometimes, it seemed that Kami smiled on him.

He would take all the help he could get.

.

Naruto woke up in confusion.

He was lying on something soft. Not just a normal mattress like he normally got, one with lumps and sharp springs poking through as well as suspicious smells, but a soft, padded one which felt like he was floating on a cloud.

Several blankets kept him warm. Again, they were smooth and soft, not stained, holed and ragged like he was used to.

And no-one was shouting at him, or hitting him.

"Nii-san!"

A weight descended on Naruto's stomach and then a small pair of arms wrapped around his neck.

"Glrk?"

"Mornin' nii-san!"

Naruto blinked and looked down at the face grinning at him. He recognised that face, it was… Kono… Konohamaru? Yep, that was it. Looking round, he felt his confusion deepen, then what happened the previous day flooded back.

He owed Konohamaru, the little kid had somehow made Jiji take him in rather than move him to another Kami-damned orphanage to be ignored and abandoned.

"Okay, Ko." Naruto said, inadvertently solidifying his position as Konohamaru's number-one precious person, "I'm getting up. But you'll need to get off me first."

After a moment, Konohamaru released his grip and slid back down to the floor. Naruto got out of his bed and walked over to where a pile of clothing had been left. Picking up the topmost item, he donned the kimono and held out his hand for Konohamaru to take.

"Maybe you can show me where we get food, I'm hungry."

Konohamaru grabbed Naruto's hand, grinning widely.

Things were going well.

.

"Father, we need to talk."

Hiruzen looked up at his son, one eyebrow raised.

"It's Naruto… Eri and I have been talking, we've seen how Konohamaru acts around him over the last few weeks and vice versa… we'd like to adopt Naruto if we can."

Hiruzen sighed. "I considered that myself, but… there are reasons that he cannot be adopted. Political reasons. Having him living in my house is going to cause real problems by itself when it is revealed to the council."

Yahiko frowned. "Is it because he's the son of Kushina and Minato?"

"How did you know that!?"

Yahiko smirked slightly at his father's reaction. "I was friends to both of them. Naruto has her chin and personality, as well as her clan name. In looks, though, he looks just like a young Minato if you ignore the whiskers. Anyone who knew Minato would see it. And what's with the rumors of him being a demon?"

Hiruzen sagged back into his chair.

"What do you know about Jinchuuriki?"

Yahiko looked thoughtful. "He holds the Kyuubi, like Mito did?"

Hiruzen nodded, reminded again that Yahiko was not the head of the archives just because of his family connections. "Yes. And Kushina."

"I always suspected that, given when she arrived in Konoha." Yahiko nodded. "So, Naruto's the third Jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi. I see."

For several moments, both men sat in silence, then Yahiko snorted.

"What?"

"Konohamaru needs someone to keep him out of mischief, and Naruto needs some _serious_ remedial education and training. I think we should… _employ_ … Naruto. We have that small guest-house at the bottom of the garden that we never got round to fixing up or tearing down. Take a few pictures of it now, use a genin team to repair it and Naruto gets a place to live, even if he's going to spend most of his time with us. A growing boy needs some room and occasional privacy, after all. It's not like the Namikaze mansion is habitable, after all."

Hiruzen nodded. The house had been stepped on by the Kyuubi on the day of Naruto's birth. While the vault was still intact, it was bloodseal-locked and only Hiruzen and a few select others even knew of that it still existed.

When Naruto reached Chunin, he'd take him there to let him reclaim his heritage.

"Why the pictures?"

"For the council." Yahiko explained. "Show them the pictures of the barely-livable building and they'll think nothing of letting Naruto stay there. And since you are Hokage, you can choose teams who don't have any connection to the Council to do some fixing up, thus the council won't know that we're helping Naruto rather than abandoning him like they want us to."

Hiruzen nodded. His son was making perfect sense.

"That… could work." Hiruzen mused. "At least it keeps him out of the orphanages and the council's hands. And if we're showing them the photos… we don't need to tell them _where_ the building actually is."

Yahiko smirked.

.

Konohamaru was _exhausted_.

Admittedly, most of the day had once again gone well.

So well, in fact, that he was starting to get nervous about what was lying in wait in the future.

In the morning, Naruto and Yahiko had taken him to the daycare center where Moegi and Udon were, before they had gone off to buy some things that Naruto needed for his new house. Moegi had welcomed him with a hug, like always, but Udon… Udon had looked at him curiously and mentioned that he seemed different.

Fortunately, Konohamaru had been able to divert him with the explanation that he'd got a new big brother who was helping to look after him.

Damn, Udon was incredibly observant.

After a Ramen lunch at Ichiraku's. Yahiko had introduced them to the newly-promoted Tobesku Jonin Ebisu, then had proceeded to demonstrate that even though he had chosen not to become a nnja, he still had the skills needed. Ebisu had been very apologetic about sneering at Naruto… after finally regaining consciousness and giving Eri (and her frying pan) a very wary look.

Yahiku had then started Naruto's chakra-exercise training himself, muttering about finding another person to help who _wasn't_ an idiot. Konohamaru had joined in on some of the more physical-oriented exercises. His chakra wasn't yet at the level that would allow him to start using it, but learning the exercises in advance had seemed like a good idea.

And besides, by joining in, he could _encourage_ Naruto to push himself further.

* * *

**.**

**Chapter Two**

Friendship

"Konohamaru, you get back here _right_ now!"

Konohamaru grinned as he ran away from Naruto, laughing. Naruto chased after him, a wide grin marring what would have been a perfectly-executed command to return. As he ran, most of his attention was apparently on escaping, but he was also concentrating on recalling all that Naruto had said in the past about his history.

Unlike the timeline that had led to his return, Naruto hadn't joined the Academy two years early. Instead, he was intending to join with those his own age and this time, he had been properly taught.

From Yahiko, Naruto had learned the art of writing, his calligraphy practiced until it was perfect. His writing and mathematical skills were easily those of someone half again his age, if not older, while his memory skills were just as good. His knowledge of history, geography and several other subjects was incredible due to Yahiko's benevolent (albeit somewhat intense) tutelage.

From Eri, Naruto had learned the value of nutrition and how not eating right would stunt his growth. While he was still a keen Ramen eater, it was no longer the only food he would eat. Under Eri's stern yet caring eye, Naruto had learned how to make and prepare a wide variety of meals.

And best of all, he was still a prankster, a highly unpredictable one.

Konohamaru had almost laughed himself silly when he had overheard one of the ANBU reporting to Jiji that Naruto had managed to evade almost a dozen chunin and a jonin for an hour after dropping a paint-balloon on Danzo. Since then, he had managed to guide Naruto to the tree-climbing exercise by making a comment about seeing a ninja standing on a wall, and Naruto's curiosity had led him to asking Yahiko about it, thus setting him on the path to learning the tree-climbing exercise, and from that the branch-leaping skills.

He was starting to learn water-walking as well.

As a result, it only took half the normal amount of time to get anywhere now that Naruto could carry Konohamaru across the rooftops of Konoha. And Naruto had promised to teach Konohamaru when he finally unlocked his own chakra.

The fact that Konohamaru already knew how was something that he was going to keep to himself.

Now it was time for Konohamaru to set in motion another thread of his rebuilt future. If he had anything to do with it, a certain someone wouldn't wait until she was dying before confessing her love to Naruto, and this time, the blond (no-longer-quite-a-total) idiot actually _knew_ what love was.

And there was his… wait, what was going on?

Konohamaru screeched to a halt and felt Naruto stop just behind him, his gaze fixed on a young dark-haired girl being cornered by a trio of older boys.

"Nii-san…?"

"I see them, Ko-kun." Naruto snarled. "Bullies. I _hate_ bullies. Stay here."

Konohamaru blinked, then smiled almost ferally as Naruto sprinted past him, accelerating with a determined expression on his face. As he approached the boys, he leapt into the air and landed on the back of the largest one, ricocheting off while the boy was catapulted into the bushes. As he took down the second boy with a spinning backfist that knocked him down, but which left him open, the third boy noted his arrival and acted.

Konohamaru winced as the third boy kicked out, catching Naruto in the stomach.

" _Eight trigrams, sixteen palms!_ "

The girl unleashed a barrage of chakra-enhanced palm-strikes that knocked the third boy down even as Konohamaru ran over.

"Nii-san!"

"I'm… okay, Ko-kun." Naruto gasped as he tried to stand up. The lavender-eyed girl gently took the arm that Konohamaru hadn't grabbed and together, they guided Naruto to a nearby bench so that he could sit down and recover.

"Thanks." Naruto wheezed. "Are you alright…?"

The girl blushed and looked down as Naruto trailed off, his expression quizzical.

"Hyuuga Hinata." She whispered. "Thank-you for saving me."

"Uzumaki Naruto, and this is my little brother Sarutobi Konohamaru, but he prefers to be called Ko."

Konohamaru nodded in confirmation.

"Sarutobi…?"

"Don't call him _Honourable Grandson_ or anything like that, he hates it." Naruto grinned as Konohamaru squirmed onto the bench between them and grinned up at Hinata, who smiled back. "I think he likes you. Okay, I think I'm good now."

Konohamaru nodded and dropped back onto the ground, then lightly tagged Hinata.

"It!"

Hinata blinked as Naruto started to laugh.

"I think that's an invitation to play. Come on, let's get him!"

Hinata's eyes widened, then she started to laugh with joy as Naruto towed her after the fleeing, laughing boy.

.

"Hinata, it is time for your lessons. Come."

"H-hai, T-tou-san."

Konohamaru stared up at the strict form of Hiashi, who had appeared almost out of nowhere. Glancing at Hinata, then back at Hiashi, he decided to shatter the tension and tagged Hiashi.

"You're it!"

Hiashi blinked as Hinata and Naruto managed to fight down their laughter.

"…I'm what?"

"Ko-kun…" Hinata said, fighting to not laugh at her father's perplexed expression. "I'm afraid my father does _not_ play games like that."

Hiashi blinked again.

"Hinata, why does this boy look familiar?"

"H… he is Sarutobi Konohamaru." Hinata explained. "I… I've been helping t… to look after him."

"Hinata's nice." Konohamaru interjected. "She's my friend."

Hiashi blinked again.

"Hinata… you've befriended the Hokage's grandson?"

"Y… yes, Tou-san."

"I… see." Hiashi mused slowly. "Well, I approve. Maybe next time, you should bring Hanabi along with you as well. And you are?"

Naruto bowed formally.

"I am Uzumaki Naruto, currently the ward of Sarutobi Yahiko and Sarutobi Eri."

Konohamaru grinned. Time to make another change.

"Nii-san is really cool. He's going to teach me to be a great ninja!"

Hiashi blinked. "I… see. How much have you learned?"

"I can tree-walk and branch-leap already and am working on water-walking." Naruto replied, noting the look of awe that Hinata was giving him. "Tou-san… I mean Yahiko-san told me that I have so much chakra that the leaf exercise wouldn't do me any good except as a fine-control exercise when I get older, so I skipped that for now."

"Nii-san carries me across the roofs!" Konohamaru interjected and Hiashi raised an eyebrow.

"You are indeed advanced for your age." Hiashi admitted.

"I need to be advanced with Ko-kun." Naruto grinned, giving both Ko and Hinata a quick wink. "He's got almost as much energy as me. Fortunately, Hinata-sama offered to help look after him today. I don't think I would have survived without her help."

"I'm not that bad." Konohamaru pretend-sulked, sticking out his lower lip in a pout, and Hinata tried to hide her giggles. Hiashi's eyebrows lifted slightly higher.

"I… see. Well, I wish you both a good day. Hinata, come."

Hinata quickly bowed to Konohamaru and Naruto before scurrying after her father.

.

"That boy is Uzumaki Naruto. He does not have a very good reputation with the council."

"H… he…"

Hiashi cut her off before she could finish her sentence.

"Yet today I saw that he has been entrusted with the well-being of the grandson of the Hokage, a task he seems to perform with great diligence."

Hinata stared up at her father, trying to work out what he was getting at.

"Did he do anything… dishonorable?"

Hinata blinked in confusion. What was her father talking about?

"I see." Hiashi stated, confusing her even more as she hadn't said anything. "That is reassuring. I had my doubts about the council's stance, their claim that he is a no-good individual and a threat to the village."

Hinata nodded, then frowned slightly as a though hit her.

"Konohamaru-kun said something earlier… that Naruto-san looked like the Yondaime Hokage."

Hiashi halted dead in his tracks, a look of surprise passing across his features.

"The Yondaime… eyes… hair… could it be…?"

"Tou-san?"

Hiashi shook his head. "I will need to check a few things, but if what I suspect is true… Hinata, I approve of your friendship with Naruto. In fact, I would advise you to spend more of your free time with him."

Hinata stared in shock at her father.

"And speak to _no-one_ what Konohamaru mentioned." Hiashi added. "I will not see the son of my friend killed by an enemy of his father. Now, it is time for your lessons and I need to see the Hokage about something."

.

"Good evening, Hiashi-sama. What brings you here?"

Hiashi closed the door behind him and looked round, Byakugan active, before nodding.

"I assume the ANBU here can keep quiet about what is probably an SS-class secret."

Hiruzen raised an eyebrow, then made a brief motion.

"They are gone."

"Except this one." Hiashi stated, throwing a kunai into the corner. A blank-masked figure faded into view, the kunai buried in his leg and Hiashi stepped over.

"You are within range of my divination. _Eight trigrams, sixty-four palms!_ "

The barrage of Jyuken strikes sent the figure into the wall and it collapsed bonelessly. Hiruzen stared.

"You may need to send this one to Ibiki." Hiashi said coldly. "Now, I need to talk about your grandson's… older brother."

"What happened, and how expensive is it?" Hiruzen sighed and Hiashi smirked slightly.

"No, not a prank this time. He is Minato's son, is he not?"

"How did you know that?" Hiruzen gasped, lunging to his feet and Hiashi smirked in triumph.

"I only _suspected_ it until now. So, Minato chose his own son to seal the Kyuubi into. How are his lessons going?"

"Very well." Hiruzen said slowly, sitting back down. "He is going to enroll in the academy soon."

"As is my daughter." Hiashi noted. "Have the civilians changed the graduating syllabus?"

"Test, _henge_ , _kawarimi_ and _bunshin_." Hiruzen confirmed. "Why?"

"Naruto has a _lot_ of chakra, I could _feel_ it when I encountered him." Hiashi said. "If he is anything like Uzumaki Kushina… _was_ she his mother?"

Hiruzen nodded and Hiashi resumed his comment.

"If he is anything like Kushina, his chakra levels mean that he will be unable to perform the normal _bunshin_ due to the fact that he will need greater than med-nin levels of control, thus letting the council halt his advancement. Might I suggest instead that he learns the _Kage Bunshin_ like she did? And soon. Maybe _before_ he actually starts the academy."

Hiruzen frowned. "Why are _you_ so concerned about him?"

"His parents were my friends." Hiashi said with a slight smile. "And the civilian council has recently annoyed me greatly. I would see Naruto become the rookie of the year even if only to savor the expressions on their faces. And Hinata seems more… relaxed and less shy when she is around him. If he can help her improve, I will have less problems with the clan council."

Hiruzen nodded slowly. "I think I follow. You are suggesting that they spend more time together?"

"I am indeed." Hiashi said. "Although, outside this office, I never said that."

"Then what did you say?" Hiruzen asked wryly.

"Simple." Came the response. "In order to foster closer relations between the Hyuuga clan and the Sarutobi clan, I wish to introduce Hanabi to Konohamaru to see if they can become friends. Naturally, Hinata will go along to oversee their meeting since she is very protective of her little sister. And if Naruto is there… well, that is just a co-incidence."

"It would be good for Konohamaru to have a friend his own age who isn't over-awed by who he is related to." Hiruzen mused. "This seems like a very good plan to me."

"I hoped that you would see it that way." Hiashi said, a faint smile barely visible on his lips.

.

Konohamaru blinked in surprise as he opened the door.

The girl staring at him was… unexpected.

He knew who she was, of course. Hyuuga Hanabi, Hinata's younger sister. A girl who would become the second genius of the Hyuuga clan and the wife of his best friend Udon. A strong-willed girl who respected intelligence and willpower and who had been one of his favorite sparring partners since she refused to hold back against him like so many others did.

And he hadn't met her in the future-that-now-was-not until he had started going to the Academy.

What was going on here?

"Hello, Ko-kun."

"Hinata-san!" Konohamaru grinned, looking up at Hinata with a wide smile. "Naruto's helping Jiji with.. bucasy?"

Hinata blinked several times as she thought about what he had just said, then realization dawned. "Bureaucracy?"

"That's it." Konohamaru nodded. "Long word. Jiji _hates_ bua… bera… barac… what you said. But they'll be back soon. Come in. Mum! Hinata-san's here!"

A few seconds passed, then Eri emerged from the kitchen. "Hinata-chan, come in! And this must be your sister, Hanabi. Father told me about you, welcome to the Sarutobi mansion."

"Thank you." Hanabi said quietly, then she turned round quizzically as Hiruzen and Naruto seemed to appear out of thin air behind them, laughing.

"…can't believe I _never_ thought of doing that." Hiruzen chortled. "I always wondered how Minato managed to get the dratted paperwork done so fast."

"It's a really cool jutsu." Naruto agreed. "It'll be really useful."

"And you can study more." Hiruzen shot back, his grin widening as Naruto dramatically flinched.

"Study? STUDY? NOOOOOooooooooo! It's a _fate worse than death_!"

Eri managed not to laugh at Naruto's over-the-top dramatics, but Konohamaru wasn't nearly as restrained and his laughter echoed through the house.

"Gomen, but what are you talking about?" Hinata asked in confusion and Naruto grinned.

"Jiji taught me a really cool jutsu since I have too much chakra for a normal _Bunshin_. It's called the _Kage Bunshin_ , watch!"

Naruto formed a handseal that Konohamaru knew by heart and an instant later, there were five Naruto's in the room and another dozen outside. Hinata's eyes widened momentarily in shock, then her eyes glazed over and she collapsed, a trail of blood leaking from her nose.

"Hina-chan!"

In a rush, the massed Naruto's surged forwards, several of them gently picking Hinata up and carrying her carefully into the living room while others dashed off, returning with sheets, a pillow and a glass of water. Konohamaru peeped into the living room just in time to see three of the Naruto's fussing as they tucked the sheet up around Hinata while another gently slid the pillow under her head.

"They're solid!"

Konohamaru nodded in response to Hanabi's gasp of realization. "Yep, now I've got _loads_ of nii-sans!"

.

"…what happened?"

"You fainted." Eri smiled at the confused girl who was propping herself up on the settee, the blanket that had been covering her puddling on the floor. "I'm not surprised, one Naruto is a handful, a dozen of them? I was quite amazed, myself."

"Hanabi?!" Hinata gasped, jolting upright on the settee.

"Playing with Konohamaru." Eri said reassuringly. "Well, studying,anyway. Yahiko is giving them pointers in calligraphy. Naruto's also doing some studying, he's got a dozen of his clones reading various books and scrolls, we're going to start him on sealing now that his calligraphy's good enough."

"…it wasn't a dream." Hinata whispered, blushing furiously and Eri's smile widened.

"No, it was real. I think he'll be passing the genin test when it's time to graduate. So, before he comes charging in here en masse _again_ to make sure you're fine, what do you think about him?"

Hinata's blush seemed to turn incandescent and Eri only just managed to not laugh. Reaching out, she placed a reassuring hand on the girl's shoulder.

"Not quite eight, yet you've got quite a crush on him, haven't you?"

Hinata, face concealed in the collar of her jacket, nodded slightly.

"I think he quite likes you as well." Eri said. "When you fainted, he was really worried. Why did you faint, anyway?"

"All… all those Naruto's…" Hinata whispered, cheeks flaming. Eri nodded understandingly.

"I can see how it could be… overwhelming. Try to calm down, I'll tell him that you're alright."

* * *

**.**

**Chapter Three**

Academy

"Hinata-sama!" Naruto chirped as Hinata left the Hyuuga compound. "First day of the academy today! Come on!"

Hinata blushed, but the visits she had paid to the Sarutobi mansion for the previous few months had seen her learn to be around Naruto without fainting.

"Naruto-san… why are…"

Naruto shrugged as he took Hinata's hand, quirking an eyebrow as she inadvertently _eep_ 'd.

"Well, I checked with your dad and he mentioned that that grumpy cousin of yours would be escorting you, and he's just _so_ depressing with all that _fate_ stuff of his."

Hinata didn't know whether to blush or pale since she _knew_ that Neji was barely five paces behind her and had undoubtably overheard what Naruto had said.

"It is fated that you will be escorted to the Academy today." Naruto said in a perfect impersonation of Neji and Hinata frantically fought down her urge to laugh even as Neji growled in annoyance from behind them. Naruto's eyes widened and he glanced backwards.

"Uh-oh, looks like he was closer than I thought… hold on!"

Hinata gasped as Naruto swung her onto his back and accelerated rapidly before leaping in a prodigious chakra-enhanced leap that many Jonin would have been happy to have been able to perform. Konoha seemed to blur past them as Naruto sprinted across the rooftops, leaping over alleys and occasionally bouncing off tree-branches before landing in a perfect three-point crouch by the gates of the Academy. For a long moment, neither of them moved, then Naruto spoke.

"Ummm, Hinata, are you alright?"

Hinata blushed furiously as she realised that she was still holding tightly onto Naruto. Unwrapping her legs from his waist and releasing her grip on his shoulders, she dropped to the ground as Naruto stood up.

"Sorry about that." Naruto grinned, rubbing the back of his head. "I tend to do that a lot with Ko-kun whenever we get into troub… _ahem_ , I mean, when we need to go somewhere, so I just kind of… ummmm… sorry?"

"I… It's alright, Naruto-kun." Hinata half-whispered as a heavily-breathing Neji touched down nearby. "You're really fast."

"Meh, not really." Naruto shrugged. "I can only avoid the ANBU and other Jonin for a couple of hours. Less if Inu-san and Maito Gai join in. Inu uses dogs to keep track of me, while Gai is…"

Naruto shuddered and Hinata looked at him quizzically.

"Just… if you hear anyone shouting about _flames of youth_ , run the other way. Trust me on that."

"H… hai, Naruto-kun."

"You… you… Hinata… sama… run… carry…" Neji panted, then he paused and took several deep breaths to gather himself.

"It is undignified for one of Hinata-sama's station to be… _carried_ like a common backpack." He half-snarled and Naruto shrugged.

"Yeah… well, I haven't quite got the hang of Shunshin yet."

Neji blinked at the apparent non-sequitur which was just enough time for Naruto to deploy a dozen Kage Bunshin, half of whom promptly _henged_ to look like Hinata. A moment later, they all scattered with the Naruto's towing the Hinata's behind them, leaving Neji stood in confusion. A moment later, he finally realized what had just happened.

" _NARUTO!_ "

.

"I can't believe you did that to him." Hinata half-scolded as Naruto led her into the classroom. From behind the teacher's desk, a chunin with a scar across the bridge of his nose looked up. "He was only trying to do his duty."

"No, he was only being _trying_." Naruto grinned as he guided Hinata to a pair of seats. Pausing long enough to ensure that she was seated, he flopped into the other chair.

"Oh, Naruto." Hinata sighed in humorous resignation. "Whatever am I going to do with you."

Naruto grinned wickedly and leaned across to whisper into her ear. The chunin watched as Hinata's eyes widened and her face turned red, then her eyes rolled up and she fainted into Naruto's waiting arms, a small trickle of blood leaking from her nose and a wide smile on her face. Naruto smiled gently down at her and carefully shifted her so that she was resting against him, his arm supporting her as her head rested on his shoulder.

"What did you _do_ to her?" The chunin half-laughed and Naruto gave a sheepish grin.

"Well, I heard Eri-kaasan say the same thing to Yahiko-tousan once and I was close enough to hear his reply, so I just used it on Hinata-chan. I didn't expect her to faint, though."

The chunin shook his head and looked back at his paperwork. "So, she is obviously Hyuuga Hinata and you are… let's see, blond… blond… no, you're _not_ Yamanaka Ino… aha! Uzumaki Naruto."

"Adopted big brother and part time bodyguard of Sarutobi Konohamaru." Naruto grinned. "Also the future Hokage! That's me!"

The chunin nodded. "I'm Umino Iruka and I have to ask, how did you know which classroom you were assigned to? All the others are still outside waiting for me to collect them."

Naruto shrugged as innocently as possible, which only caused Iruka to give him a gimlet stare.

"Oh… ehehehe… alright, ya got me. Jiji let me see some of the files yesterday while I was helping him with his paperwork."

"Jiji?"

"Yeah." Naruto grinned. "He's holding the Hat until I can take it. Ever since I told him that he can use _Kage Bunshin_ to do the work, he's been training me to take over."

"You know about _Kage Bunshin_?" Iruka asked in a tone of surprise and Naruto nodded as he felt Hinata begin to wake.

"Yeah, I've got _way_ too much chakra to ever be able to do a normal _Bunshin_ , so I use the _Kage Bunshin_ to practice my chakra control. I've got about two dozen doing tree and water walking, another fifty reading texts that Yahiko-tousan suggested and a dozen looking after Konohamaru-kun and giving Eri-kaasan a hand with the chores… Iruka-sensei, is something wrong?"

Iruka stared at him, wide eyed, then he glanced at the now-recovered Hinata, who nodded in confirmation of what Naruto had just said.

"No, it's just… most kids have trouble learning jutsu before they're ten or so since they need to learn to control their Chakra properly first. For you to have learned _Kage Bunshin_ , a Jonin-level technique…"

Iruka broke off and shook his head in amazement. "I think that you've got a good chance of being the Rookie of the year."

Naruto grinned. "And with Hinata-chan being so awesome, she'll be Kunoichi of the year and we'll end up on the same team!"

"I… I'd like that." Hinata smiled, then she turned red again as Naruto wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

"Uzumaki and Hyuuga!" He declaimed dramatically, "We'll get ' _Flee on sight'_ ratings in the Bingo Book, just like the Yondaime did."

Iruka grinned at his entheusiasm.

.

Konohamaru blinked as an ANBU appeared out of nowhere. Before he could do more than inhale in shock, the ANBU grabbed him and he staggered as the whirling disorientation of a _Shunshin_ engulfed him. Trying not to lose his breakfast, he closed his eyes and concentrated on calming his insides. Once he managed to persuade his stomach that emptying itself was not the best idea, he re-opened his eyes and found himself in the Hokage's office, with his grandfather glaring at him.

Oh shit.

A slight movement to one side caused him to look round and his heart almost stopped at the sight of Morino Ibiki looming in one corner while Yamanaka Inoichi leaned against the other corner, both of them watching him with cold eyes.

Double shit.

Konohamaru sighed and sat himself in the seat in front of the desk, raising his eyes to meet his grandfather. There was no sign now of the genial old man who often treated Konohamaru and Naruto to ramen, this was the gaze of the Professor, piercing and analysing.

Time to change the rules. Thank Kami that Rokudaime Naruto had briefed him on several of Konoha's secrets before he had been sent back.

"Code alpha-seven-senju, message in a bottle." Konohamaru stated and Inoichi inhaled sharply. Hiruzen merely raised an eyebrow.

"Interesting. Which Hokage told you?"

"The true Rokudaime, Namikaze Naruto." Ko answered as bravely as he could. "Have Inoichi do a mind dive for confirmation, I still remember the ritual used to send me back, and the reason for it."

A slight move to his left alerted Ko to Inoichi moving closer, but Hiruzen raised a hand.

"You said… _Namikaze_ Naruto?"

"Sure." Ko shrugged. "Boss' dad was the Yondaime, after all. Minato even sealed a _Kage Bunshin_ of himself into the _Shiki Fuin_ to reset it if Naruto ever released eight tails. Kushina left her chakra in the seal to help restrain Kurama and help Naruto when he eventually decides to take the Kyuubi's power for himself. It really helps with his Sage skills, once he gets the Key and he studies under the Toads at Mount Myoboku, that is."

Hiruzen had frozen during the recitation, then he slowly relaxed.

"You two can go, this meeting never happened."

Ko didn't drop his gaze until the door closed behind him, then he slumped back in his seat.

"How did I slip up? Did I push too hard to get him trained?"

"You only slipped with the small details." Hiruzen said, rising from his chair and turning to look out of the window. "However, there were enough small details to let me realise that you were more advanced than you pretended. I had several theories but… message in a bottle protocol. How bad was it?"

"Bad." Ko said as he joined his grandfather. "The Five Villages joined in an alliance against the Akatsuki, but it wasn't enough. Their Zetsu army and the use of Edo Tensai to bring back our greatest heroes and use them against us… then Onoki betrayed us and switched sides… at the end, there were barely enough of us to buy enough time for Boss to send me back."

"What were his orders?" Hiruzen asked after a long silence.

"To teach him." Ko said quietly. "To guide him into becoming stronger. Jiji, I know the _Rasengan_ and the _Hiraishin_."

Hiruzen started in shock and stared at his temporally-displaced grandson. "The _Hiraishin_?!"

Ko nodded. "Yeah. Boss and I worked on it, we found a way to modify the seals to create a new version, one that he and I could both use, as well as several others. That's why I'm happy that Boss worked so hard on his calligraphy, it'll _really_ help him with doing the tags."

For several moments, both Sarutobi males remained silent, then Konohamaru spoke again.

"Mizuki was a traitor in the last timeline. He tried to convince Boss that he didn't _hold_ the Kyuubi but that he _was_ the Kyuubi. You _need_ to tell Boss before Mizuki has a chance."

Hiruzen nodded slowly. "How badly did it affect him last time?"

"Bad." Ko answered softly. "He told me that he seriously considered fleeing the village forever. Only the fact that someone that he respected was in danger kept him here. In a way, it was Iruka who saved him."

Hiruzen sighed. "Anything else?"

"The Uchiha Massacre will happen soon, everyone except Itachi and Sasuke will die. It was meant to be just the ninja planning the coup, but someone, we think it was Uchiha Madara, interfered and killed everyone else. Unless you find another way to to solve the problem, and _fast_ , we are going to lose the Sharingan."

"But you said Itachi and Sasuke…" Hiruzen started, only for Ko to interrupt.

"Itachi takes the blame and becomes a Nunkenin, joining Akatsuki. Sasuke blames Itachi and goes all emo avenger, betraying Konoha for a chance at vengeance. When he discovers your old team-mates and Danzo signed the extermination order, he goes nuts and tries to destroy Konoha. You dying at the Chunin exams really didn't help."

Hiruzen walked over to his desk and rummaged in a drawer, pulling out a blank scroll and writing brush.

"Tell me everything you can."

.

"Alright class, settle down." The scarred Chunin snapped and the students turned their attention to the front of the classroom. "My name is Umino Iruka, but you will refer to me as Sensei. I am your primary tutor for the next four years."

"My name is Mizuki and I'm the classroom assistant." Smiled the silver-haired chunin as he stood behind the second, slightly smaller desk.

"As I call your name, please stand and give a slight introduction for your classmates." Iruka continued. "I'll show you how it's done. My name is Umino Iruka, I enjoy teaching, I dislike those who waste the opportunities offered to them and my hopes for the future are to guide you into becoming the best ninja you can be. Now, Aburame Shino."

A coat-wearing dark-haired boy stood up near the back and adjusted his shades slightly. "Aburame Shino, I like bugs, dislike those who kill bugs and hope to become worthy of leading my clan."

As the introductions continued, Naruto took the opportunity to look at Hinata, checking that she wasn't going to faint again. When her name was called, it almost came as a surprise to him as Hinata rose, blushing slightly.

"I am honored to meet you all, my name is Hyuuga Hinata, I like flower pressing and Naruto-kun… I dislike those who hate for no reason and I hope… I hope to become… a good kunoichi."

Blushing for no reason that Naruto could determine, Hinata sat down again.

"You'll become a _great_ kunoichi, believe it!" Naruto whispered to her and Hinata's blush almost glowed.

"Th… thank you… N… Naruto-kun…"

Naruto impulsively hugged her and Hinata gently _eep_ 'd, then she returned his one-armed hug before sitting upright again, her entire face flushed. Naruto smiled, then turned his attention back to the class just in time to see a black-haired boy stand up.

"I am Uchiha Sasuke, I like training and my otouto Itachi, I dislike fangirls and want to become the best Shinobi that I can be."

Several of the girls sighed as Sasuke sat down, then Iruka read out the Naruto's name. Naruto's eyes narrowed slightly as the training that Yahiko gave him let him read both teachers body language and expressions. Iruka seemed to associate him with a past tragedy, but was trying to remain professional about it whereas Mizuki simply hated him. Making several mental notes, he stood up as everyone turned to look at him.

"My name is Uzumaki Naruto. My likes are Jiji, Yahiko-sama, Eri-san, Ko-kun and Hinata-chan." Beside him, Hinata barely stifled an _'eep'_. "I dislike those who hate others for the wrong reasons and my dream is to one day take the Old Man's hat and let him retire while I protect the village."

As Naruto sat down, Mizuki gave Iruka a confused look before asking the obvious question.

"The old man?"

"N… Naruto-kun means the H… Hokage." Hinata said quietly, but everyone heard her. Naruto hid a grin as everyone stared at him in shock.

"He… calls the Hokage… the _old man_?" Sakura managed to choke out and Hinata nodded. "Wow. Talk about chutzpa."

For a moment, everyone continued staring at Naruto, then Iruka coughed. "Yamanaka Ino."

A blond girl stood up. "My name is Yamanaka Ino, I like growing flowers, gossip and shopping, I dislike those who make fun of my looks and my dream is to become a true kunoichi."

"An excellent goal." Iruka smiled as Ino sat down, sending a smirk at Sakura. "Here at the Academy, you will learn most of what you need to learn in order to become true ninja, worthy of serving Konoha…"

.

"Hey, Ko-kun! Heya Jiji, early finish?"

"Hi boss!" "Hello, Naru-kun."

Naruto almost grunted as Konohamaru slammed into him, hugging him tightly.

"Whoa there, what happened?"

"Just missed you." Konohamaru replied, his voice muffled as Hiruzen walked over.

"To celebrate your first day at the Academy, I sent one of my ANBU to get some Ichiraku Ramen…"

Hiruzen _'oof'_ ed as Naruto promptly glomped him, earning a squeak of protest from Konohamaru. Naruto blushed as he stepped back, letting the younger boy gasp for air.

"Sorry, Ko-kun, I… kinda lost track for a moment."

Konohamaru mock-glared at him. "You just heard the word Ramen, that's all it takes to do that to you."

"You wound me!" Naruto mourned. " _Ramen_ indeed. It's _Ichiraku's_ Ramen I worship."

Konohamaru managed not to giggle, but it was quite an effort.


	2. Dancing Kitsune

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was an unusual Naruto story in that I intended to be concentrating on the course his early life could have taken. I have read several stories along the lines of "Kami takes pity on Naruto and grants him supremely overpowered skills" and I thought Naruto holds the Kyuubi, wouldn't it be more likely that he'd get the attention of the fox-god Inari? And with Naruto's pranking nature... it seemed like a match made in... um... (dammit) heaven.
> 
> Also, before anyone tries to flame me for turning the Fox-god into a Fox-goddess… do you really thing that Deities are limited by human notions of gender?

**Prologue**

The two-year old boy walked tiredly along the lane, ignoring the gathering dark and the hate-filled glares as he moved like one in a dream. Once again he had been locked out of the orphanage and was now looking for a small corner or sheltered area to sleep in.

As he walked, he was unaware of the being watching him, a being whose golden eyes glowed with warmth, unseen by any of the civilians or shinobi in the area.

" _ **Uzumaki Naruto..."**_ mused the being, its voice filled with power, humour and emotions hidden too deep for any mortal to do more than guess at. _**"And the holder of Kurama... It'll be good to see him again, it has been too long."**_

" _ **Something got your attention?"**_ a more powerful voice asked and the first being glanced round.

" _ **As a matter of fact, Amaretsu-sempai, it has. The kit down there has caught my at him, alone, hungry, abandoned..."**_

" _ **And you intend to do something."**_ The Sun-goddess stated. _**"You know my Law about not interfering. The age of miracles is past, Inari, it passed with the Sage of the Six Paths."**_

" _ **I do not intend to perform any miracles."**_ Inari said. _**"I will not take him away in a flash of light, I will not change the world around him. But remember the rest of your Law, Ammy. We may intervene in dreams or in our shrines."**_

Amaretsu froze and then turned her gaze towards Inari. After a few moments, she nodded with manifest unwillingness.

" _ **Very well, Inari. Although I do not fully approve, I will not seek to halt your actions unless you draw too close to breaking my Law. But it may be a while before he sleeps, and you have no shrine in Konoha."**_

" _ **You are mistaken, Ammy-sempai."**_ Inari smirked. _**"It has been hidden for over a century, but I have a shrine in Konoha. In fact, the Kit will soon reach it."**_

Amaretsu frowned and glanced down the street. For a few moments, she seemed to stare blankly at a nondescript wall, then a grudging smile formed on her face.

" _ **And how long has the shrine actually been**_ **there** _ **, I wonder? And such a complex fuuinjutsu/genjutsu to cover it. You win this one, Inari. Have you chosen how you will do this? And what about his destined mate?"**_

" _ **Do not worry about that."**_ Inari said, fading away. _**"As you planned, the fates of the kitsune kit and the usagi joey will be entwined, and it will be fun..."**_

Amaretsu stood unnoticed on the roof, shaking her head in chagrined amusement.

" _ **How do you do it, Inari? You do whatever you want while remaining within my Law... but the day you slip you will return to my Court, and I will have the last laugh..."**_

No-one noticed her vanish.

But then again, only a monk, and a high-ranked one at that, would have been able to have detected even the faintest hint of her presence in the first place.

* * *

.

**Chapter One**

The smell of freshly-cooked food drifted through the air, tempting the sleeping boy out of his deep and comfortable sleep. Yawning, he sat up, stretching, then froze, eyes snapping open as he looked round at his unfamiliar surroundings.

"...?"

"Good morning, about time you got up, sleepy-head." a happy, teasing voice said. "There's a robe by your futon, just put it on and come on through."

Naruto blinked as the lady who had cheerfully greeted him vanished back through the door before he could get a good look at her. For a moment, he paused, unsure of how to proceed, then he noticed the pile of fabric by his side. Reaching out, he pulled it towards him and as it unfolded, he smiled. Most of it was orange. Not bright orange, more of a rusty burnt orange, but nevertheless it was indeed the most awesome color in the world. Covering most of the back was a golden fox, curled up with its tail surrounding it. Without any further hesitation, Naruto pulled on the robe and fastened it with the sash that almost seemed to fasten itself as he fiddled with it, then he trotted to the doorway, looking through to see the lady putting something on the table.

"There you are, come and sit, it's time to eat."

Somewhat befuddled by the friendliness being shown to him, Naruto sat down and watched as the lady placed a plate of food before him, then sat down and began to eat from her own plate.

"Gomen, who you?"

The lady glanced up, then lightly slapped her forehead.

"Oh, I am such a baka! Sorry, it's been simply ages since I last had a guest, I completely forgot. You can call me Sune, and I am the head maiden of this shrine. Well, the only maiden, actually. Welcome to Inari's Shrine... did I get your name earlier?"

"Ummm... Naruto..."

"Maelstrom, hmmm?" Sune smiled. "I can see you'll be a real bundle of energy once you've eaten up."

Naruto stared at the plate of food in front of him, then picked up a fork and tasted it cautiously. A moment later, the fork seemed to blur as Naruto ate as quickly as he could.

"Slow down, Naruto. The food isn't going anywhere, and if you eat slower, it tastes better."

Naruto blinked, then with a great deal of effort he slowed down. True enough, the already-flavorful food seemed to become even better as he caught the subtle spices that enhanced the flavours. All too soon, the food was gone, and Sune gathered the plate and walked off with it. Naruto followed.

"Thanks... I help?"

Sune smiled down at him.

"If you can get some water from the stream so that I can wash up, that would be very nice."

Naruto nodded and headed out, grabbing the bucket.

.

Naruto sat, not daring to move and with his eyes wide, as Sune flowed through a complicated kata with such grace that it seemed to be nothing more than a dance. Her hands flickered through the air, tracing out shapes more sensed than seen while her feet seemed to glide across the gravel, not disturbing so much as a single pebble.

And she was doing all of it with her eyes closed and a gentle smile on her face.

After what seemed like an eternity of perfection, Sune came to a stop, opening her eyes. Naruto remained seated, almost afraid to move and risk breaking the perfect moment.

"That was the Dance of the Gentle Fox, did you like watching it, Naruto?"

Naruto nodded and Suna laughed, her gentle laughter rippling through the air and inviting Naruto to join in.

"Would you like to learn the Dances?"

Again, Naruto nodded, this time with even more eagerness, and Suna held out her hands.

"Come on, then, let's start your first lesson, the Dance of the Joyful Cub, one of the nine Dances. Stand here, with me, then do what I do. First, the left foot, try to flow like the wind, smooth and light. That's good, now your right hand, circle it round, you're doing great!"

Naruto grinned back at Sune, trying his hardest to copy her graceful, flowing movements.

.

"Eat up."

Remembering her gentle correction at breakfast, Naruto picked up the first onigiri and bit into it, pausing to enjoy the rich, almost divine flavour of the fish inside the rice ball. Sune smiled at him.

"Do you like that?"

Naruto nodded and Sune's smile broadened.

"Well, eat as much as you want, there's plenty and it'll help you grow to be big and strong."

Naruto took a second bite, closing his eyes as the wonderful taste flooded his senses. Swallowing, he took a sip of spring water from the cup in front of him, the cool water somehow enhancing the taste of the food. Opposite him, Sute popped a rice ball into her mouth and chewed it slowly, still smiling at him.

.

The brush moved slowly across the flagstones as Sune swept the courtyard, moving with a slow, stately step. Nearby, with a cut-down broom of his own, Naruto helped. His early attempt had raised several clouds of dust until Sune, laughing at his sneezing, showed him how to do the job properly, gathering the dust onto the fabric squares with slow, steady sweeps of the broom, then folding up the fabric and taking it over to the small compost pile in the corner of the vegetable garden, shaking out the cloth before returning for the next load.

Naruto felt his heart fill with pride as he looked round, seeing that he'd managed to sweep quite a few flagstones. Although it was taking him longer than Sune, her approving smile kept him from feeling bad.

.

"Now, this plant is a weed." Sune explained. "Look at the shape of the leaves, remember it. Weeds are plants which grow in the wrong place, which do harm. Left unchecked, weeds will choke the life out of the other plants, so we need to remove the weeds. There are many types of weed, and to pull them out, you hold them near the base, then gently pull, like this."

Naruto nodded, his expression intent as Sune eased the weed from the vegetable patch.

"Can you see another weed? Yes, very good, that's right. Now, hold it at the base like I did, then pull it slowly. Very good!"

Naruto smiled as he placed the pulled weed beside the one Sune had plucked, then he pointed at another.

"Pull?"

"Yes, that is a weed that needs pulling." Sune confirmed and Naruto turned his concentration to the task. No plants would be getting choked by weeds while he was around!

.

Naruto knelt before the table as Sune placed the dish before him. Waiting for her to sit down and start eating, he followed her example and picked up the spoon by the bowl. Moving slowly to try and avoid getting his wonderful new orange kimono any dirtier than it was, he dipped the spoon into the bowl and tried it.

"Do you like it?"

Naruto's nod was almost unneeded as his face lit up with a second sip, he applied himself to the soup as Sune fought down her giggles at his sheer, pure, innocent joy.

.

"What do you mean, he _ran away_?" Hiruzen snarled, his glare fixed on the head of the orphanage, a grey-haired woman who looked as if she was about to lose control of her bladder. "He's barely _two_ , why in Kami's name did you let him go?"

The woman tried to speak, but her vocal cords locked up under the pressure of the Killing Intent that the Hokage was producing. A moment later, a blond appeared by Hiruzen's side.

"Inoichi, find out."

The Yamanaka nodded as two ANBU grabbed the woman and held her immobile as Inoichi stood before her, his hands forming the first seal. A moment later, the woman seemed to collapse as he dove into her mind, seeking any memories of the young Jinchuuriki.

" _What are you doing, you little bastard, how dare a monster like you look at me?"  
_ " _No, you aren't allowed to play with them, demon brat!"  
_ " _No meals for a week, that'll teach you some manners!"  
_ " _Monsters don't get new clothes, so stop asking!"  
_ " _Stealing food? That'll be twenty strokes of the cane!"  
_ " _You broke your arm? Too bad it wasn't your neck!"  
_ " _Get out, you bloody monster, and never darken this building again! Why the Yondaime didn't kill you, I have no idea!"_

Inoichi returned to his body and stepped away from the old woman, his face reflecting the total disgust he felt. Hiruzen looked at him, his expression worried.

"What did you find out."

Inoichi's mouth worked as he glared at the woman, then he took a deep breath.

"She chased him out. Forced him to leave. And before that, she… abused him. No food, no new clothes… she wanted him dead, but knew what penalty it would bring. Hokage, please don't ask me to do that again, her mind… it's a sewer of bile and hatred."

"Did she have any idea where he could have gone?"

Inoichi shook his head. "She wanted him out, dead. She didn't care what happened to him."

Hiruzen sighed, then turned and stalked out of the room. As he strode towards the front door, he spoke to the ANBU following her.

"Send the… _bitch_ to Ibiki. Start combing the village, try to find Naruto."

One of the ANBU nooded and vanished and Hiruzen halted as he looked out at the setting sun.

"Naruto, where are you?"

.

Sune smiled down at Naruto, who smiled back at her as he floated in the hot springs, half-supported by her hands under his shoulders. Slowly pulling him to her, she gently cradled him in her arms, letting his head rest on her shoulder as he yawned.

"It's getting late, Naruto." She whispered. "I think it's almost time for you to get some sleep. It's been quite a day for you, hasn't it?"

Naruto nodded sleepily and Sune rose, stepping out of the hot spring without jolting the dozing boy in her arms.

"You have a great destiny, Maelstrom of the Leaf." She continued. "I will help you achieve it."

As she walked towards the room where Naruto had woken up that morning, her form briefly seemed to change and for less than the time it took to blink, she seemed to be a glowing, golden fox.

Naruto didn't even notice, he was fast asleep, truly happy for perhaps the first time in his life.

.

"Still no sign, Lord Hokage. The Hyuuga and Uchiha are all searching as well, but they are having as little luck as we are."

Hiruzen nodded tiredly as he slumped in his chair behind the desk, his hat resting on one corner.

"Rotate the forces to keep them fresh, keep searching." He ordered and the ANBU nodded before vanishing. Sighing, Hiruzen leaned forwards, pillowing his head in his arms.

"Minato." He whispered. "I've failed you…"

As he sat there feeling older than his years, Hiruzen didn't notice when he finally fell asleep.

.

"Jiji!"

Hiruzen jolted upright, finding himself in a grassy field dotted with flowers in colors that he didn't think were possible. A large pond fed by a small waterfall filled one corner of the field while a large mansion was in the background. A copse of trees to one side seemed to hold something large, yet the bushes around it promised that whatever it was would be no danger.

All of this Hiruzen noted in an instant, yet his attention was fixed on the blond figure running towards him.

"Naruto!"

"Jiji!"

Hiruzen caught Naruto as the young boy flung himself at him, swinging him up and embracing him tightly.

"Naruto! I was so worried about you!"

" **He is with me."** A powerful yet gentle voice said and Hiruzen turned to find himself face-to-face with a giant, glowing golden fox. For a moment, his mind seemed to freeze.

" **Please forgive me, Sarutobi Hiruzen, Sandaime Hokage of Konohagakure."** The fox said, her voice filled with amusement at his reaction. **"I believe you may have already guessed who I am."**

"I… Inari…" Hiruzen whispered and the fox inclined her head in confirmation.

" **I am. Naruto was worried that you would miss him, so I brought him with me to your dreams."**

Hiruzen looked around him. "This is a dream?"

" **The answer to that is both yes and no."** Inari responded. **"While you** _ **are**_ **asleep,** _ **this**_ **is my realm. I brought you here to my Garden so that you would know Naruto is safe."**

"Where is he?" Hiruzen asked.

"Here!" Naruto laughed, giving him another hug, one which Hiruzen returned. Inari laughed.

" **Again, yes and no. While he is here, he also sleeps in my shrine. By my will, Sune looks after him and will teach him what he needs to learn. How to read, write, count and other things. And when he is old enough, he will join the Academy as you want him to."**

Hiruzen slowly lowered Naruto and smiled as Naruto started running around him.

"What about things like history? Do you have the scrolls? Does this Sune?"

" **Gather the books and scrolls you wish the son of the Yondaime to learn."** Inari said, earning a shocked look from Hiruzen. **"I will tell you where to take them if you do not work it out yourself. For now, though, let him be. He is safe, you have my word."**

Hiruzen nodded, then looked down as a little hand tugged at his robe.

"Flower." Naruto said, holding up a flower which, to Hiruzen's amusement, was bright orange. Hiruzen accepted it, tucking it into his thinning hair, much to Naruto's amusement.

" **Walk, be happy."** Inari said, starting to fade. **"And be reassured, Fire Shadow. You will hold proof he is well soon enough."**

"Jiji!"

Hiruzen stared at the place the giant fox had been, then looked down and smiled at his favorite orphan.

"Fish!"

"Yes." Hiruzen said as he let Naruto pull him towards the pond. "By all means, let's go and watch the fish."

.

Hiruzen blinked as he woke up, feeling more refreshed than he should considering he had fallen asleep at his desk. Sitting up, he blinked as an ANBU appeared before him.

"Lord Hokage," the ANBU said, "There is… a… flower in your hair?"

Hiruzen blinked again, then he raised one hand and his questing fingers found something. Pulling it loose, he held it in front of him, eyes widening in shocked disbelief mingled with amazement as he recognised it.

"Not possible." He whispered.

It was the flower that Naruto had given him in the dream.

* * *

.

**Chapter Two**

Naruto bounced into the room, grinning broadly and Sune smiled at him.

"Hello Naruto. Did you sleep well?"

"Sune! Jiji there, gave flower!"

"You dreamed of you grandfather and gave him a flower?" Sune translated and Naruto nodded. "Well, I bet that he was very happy."

Naruto nodded again, then his smile increased as Sune placed a plate of food in front of him.

"Eat up, Naruto. I'm afraid that more chores await us today."

Naruto smiled as he applied himself to the food. The day was barely started, yet it promised to be good.

.

"I've never seen a flower like this before, Lord Hokage. Where did you get it from?"

Yamanaka Inoichi looked up from his examination of the orange flower in the vase, his gaze darting to Hiruzen, who was standing by the window, looking out across the village.

"I know this is going to sound strange, but Naruto gave it to me in a dream."

Inoichi blinked. Of all the explanations he had expected, the one he had just heard hadn't even made it anywhere near to his mental list of possibilities.

"I beg your pardon, Lord Hokage, but did you just say…?"

"That Naruto gave me this flower in a dream." Hiruzen repeated. "Last night, I fell asleep at my desk and found myself in a large field. Naruto was there, looking happy, and there was a golden fox as well, a glowing one twice my height. She said that Naruto was with her, sleeping in her shrine."

"Inari." Inoichi said after a long, thoughtful moment and Hiruzen nodded.

"Yes, Inari the Fox Goddess. She and I talked a bit, then she faded away, leaving Naruto and myself to enjoy the field. We watched the fish in the pond, talked about how he was, and then I woke up to find that the dream flower I had tucked into my hair had somehow come with me."

"And this flower is the one from the dream." Inoichi realized. "Lord Hokage, what are your orders?"

Hiruzen sat down.

"I want you and Shikaku, and Chouza as well if he is willing, to search the archives. Find out if we _do_ have a Shrine to Inari in Konoha, and where it is. Or was."

Inoichi nodded slowly. "Yes, Lord Hokage."

.

Sune smiled at Naruto's cute frown of concentration as he helped to polish the stone statue of Inari. He had started by trying to rub as strongly as he could until Sune had gently corrected him, and now he was slowly and carefully using the cloth to clean the paws of the statue.

"Looking good, Naruto." Sune commented and Naruto looked up at her, his brilliant smile almost outshining the morning sun.

.

Uchiha Fugaku stepped into the Hokage's office.

"You summoned me, Lord Hokage?" He asked emotionlessly and Hiruzen nodded.

"Indeed. As you know, we seem to have lost a certain, high value individual. I would appreciate it if you asked the police to keep an eye out for Uzumaki Naruto. He vanished a couple of days ago, but we think he is probably still in Konoha."

Fugaku raised one brow slightly. "I do not wish to sound like I am questioning you, Lord Hokage, but I know several people who believe that the dem… my apologies, the boy who _contains_ the Demon is rather dangerous. If he is gone, it means that we are no longer at risk of having the Demon unleashed upon Konoha once more."

Hiruzen nodded slowly, hiding his sudden anger behind a professional mask.

"Those who believe that are ignorant. My predecessor used perhaps the ultimate sealing technique to lock away the Kyuubi, there is no risk of it breaking free."

"As you say." Fugaku agreed urbanely. "Do we know if he ran away or if he was kidnapped? Assuming, of course, that he is still alive."

"He was chased out of the orphanage he was in, and I have every reason to believe that he is still alive." Hiruzen responded. "The flower on my desk is proof of that."

Fugaku glanced at the aforementioned flower with disinterest. It was admittedly an odd color, but beyond that, it was just a flower and wasn't anywhere near as important as gaining new jutsu or power for the Uchiha clan.

"I understand, Lord Hokage. With your permission?"

.

Naruto leaned against Sune's side, her arm wrapped around him as she continued telling the tale as they sat in the porch, watching the rain fall outside.

"…so Kami agreed to let Inari place the stars in the sky while he worked on the land and seas. Using her paws and tail, Inari started to place the stars one at a time into the sky, placing them to form pictures. However, her attention soon wandered to what Kami was doing and she grew bored with her task. Deciding she had spent long enough, she gathered up the stars that she had yet to place and with a great heave of her arms, she threw them into the sky. As the stars landed in the night sky, Inari suddenly realised that she had not done what she meant to do, place a picture of herself amongst the stars, and so she started to cry.

"Her tears fell to the ground and formed great lakes wherever they landed. Kami looked up from his great work and then rose to comfort Inari, to amuse her he created a ring of light and threw it across the sky, leaving a trail of seven colours, and Inari forgot her sadness and chased the ring.

"To this day, the stars show that Inari didn't finish her task how she had planned and the rain shows her eternal regret, but the rainbow is proof that Kami saw nothing wrong, as she had indeed placed all the stars in the sky."

Naruto looked up at Sune as she wiped a tear from her cheek.

"I'm sorry, that story always gets me like that." Sune explained with a small smile, hugging Naruto, who hugged her back.

.

"A shrine to Inari?" Chouza asked, looking at his blond friend with a confused expression. "Even if there was one, after the Kyuubi attack, it probably got taken down. After all, foxes aren't liked here."

"Troublesome as it may be, there used to be a shrine in Konoha." Skikaku said, earning an odd look from the other two. "It's listed somewhere in my clan's archives. According to our clan lore, Inari bestowed the gift of shadows on the first Nara. It's where our name comes from, we were originally the Nii-Inari, Inari's adopted younger siblings. Over the centuries, the name changed to Ninari, then Nari, then Nara."

Inoichi stared at him for a while before slowly nodded. "Well then, let's get looking in your archives."

Shikaku sighed as he pulled himself out of his chair.

"This is such a drag." He moaned as his two friends exchanged smirks. "But at least it gets me out of the house and away from my troublesome wife. Come on, let's get this over with."

.

Naruto moved as he tried once again to duplicate Sune's movements. Her gentle corrections were filled with love and approval, something that Naruto absorbed like a sponge absorbs water. The gentle flow of the Dance soothed him, calmed his thoughts, relaxed him as he let himself sink into the flow of the Dance, not thinking, just feeling, not excited or depressed, but feeling only a joyful acceptance engulfing him.

Deep inside him, something far larger than anyone could imagine being hidden in such a small form stirred, its ears twitching as the sewer it was imprisoned in started to change, the shadows incrementally retreating as the walls began smoothing out, losing some of the deep scoring and cracks in the brickwork.

Naruto remained unaware of this, he just knew that he wanted to learn the Dances.

.

"There's no shrine there, I've been down that road a hundred times." Chouza stated, staring at the map.

Shikaku shrugged. "Troublesome as it may be, that's where the shrine was. Exactly halfway between the Hyuuga compound and the nearest gate."

"Well then, let's take a look."

The trio moved off.

.

Naruto looked at the trio standing just outside the gateway. Holding Sune's hand, he listened to them arguing.

"You see? There's no shrine here, just an old piece of wall." The large one said.

"This _is_ where it used to be." Said the brown-haired one. "My clan wouldn't make a mistake about a whole shrine."

"But Sarutobi said that the boy was at the shrine of Inari." The blond said slowly. "I wonder…"

Naruto watched as the blond stepped forwards, hand raised, then stopped. After a moment, the blond stepped back, frowning.

"That's a real wall, all right. Wait here."

The blond walked to one side of the gate and a moment later appeared from the other side.

"No sign of anything odd, this is just an old wall."

"Is it?" a familiar voice asked and a very familiar figure appeared. Sune released Naruto's hand.

"Say hello, then bring him inside."

Naruto nodded and sprinted forwards.

.

Hiruzen stood in front of the wall, looking at it curiously.

"So this is where the shrine was, hmmm?"

"Yes it… _what in Kami's name!?_ "

All three members of the Ino-Shika-Cho trio froze, eyes wide, as a blond tornado seemed to erupt out of the brickwork without actually disturbing it and cannoned into Hiruzen with a cry of "Jiji!" before grabbing his hand and pulling him through the solid wall. For over a moment, no-one said anything, then Inoichi extended a shaking hand and pressed it against the wall again.

The wall was solid, yet the Jinchuuriki had gone through it twice, once with the Hokage in tow.

"…Lord Hokage…?"

Hiruzen's head suddenly appeared, as if he was leaning through the wall.

"Wait for me here, you three. Actually, Inoichi, Chouza, go to my office and bring back the trunk I prepared earlier. And don't worry, you were right about the shrine. Now, excuse me for a moment."

Hiruzen vanished back into the solid wall, leaving the trio absolutely gobsmacked. After another few minutes of silence, one of them spoke, summing up the situation perfectly.

"Troublesome…"

.

"So this is the Shrine of Inari, is it?" Hiruzen asked, looking round and the lady that Naruto had excitedly declared was Sune nodded gracefully.

"It is indeed. I am Sune, the Shrine Maiden here, and of course, you already know my new friend and student Naruto. Naruto, would you get a cup of water for your Jiji, he might be thirsty."

"'Kay!" Naruto chirped before running off in a tangle of limbs that should have seen him fall over, but yet he managed, in defiance of all the laws of physics, to make it through the door without incident. Hiruzen watched him go, then seemed to change from kindly old man to the Professor God of Shinobi.

"May I ask what your intentions are towards Naruto." He snapped and Sune looked at him.

"My intentions? My intentions are to give him somewhere safe to live and to grow, to show him he deserves to be loved rather than hated for that which he had no control over, to help him become all that he can be and to eventually surpass his father."

Hiruzen's eyes widened fractionally and Sune nodded.

"I know all about him. He is the son of the Yondaime Hokage and the Red-haired Habenaro. He is the third Jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi, the son of the second to hold it. I know these things… and I will not tell him. That is _your_ task, Sandaime Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen, it is your burden and your responsibility.

"But the time for that is not yet. When he earns his Hitai-ate, that is the time to tell him. When he becomes Shinobi, it will be proof that he is strong enough to take up the burden that he must bear, the responsibility that he must shoulder.

"He will be strong enough to carry his burden, Sandaime Hokage, but the question I must ask is… are you strong enough to bear yours? You are old, you are are reluctant to continue, yet you do so from duty, but many conspire to increase your burden and seize your power while you are not looking.

"Naruto is safe here, you have my word on it. Plant the flower he gave you and it will grow and bloom, a single petal in your hand when you sleep will transport you to Inari's Garden, where you met with him before.

"I will see to it that Naruto learns from the scrolls and books you send. I will teach him how to read and write. I will teach, and when the time comes, he will go to the Academy and learn the ways of the Shinobi."

"Jiji, water!"

Hiruzen turned and smiled at the approaching boy, who was concentrating on not spilling anything from the cup he held. Accepting the drink, he sipped in order to buy some time to think.

"Sune-san, may I ask…"

"What's in it for me?" Sune half-laughed. "Hokage-sama, Inari has an interest in Naruto and wants him protected so that he can grow to become all that he can. As the Maiden of Inari's Shrine, can I do any less?"

Hiruzen nodded slowly. "Very well. I cannot think of any place safer than here for him, but he will need to learn to interact with other children. To just grow up alone…"

"He will learn." Sune smiled. "Inari moves in unpredictable ways, and will provide, if we just keep our eyes open."

Hiruzen nodded again.

"I… will take your word for it."

"You may wish to keep Naruto's safety a secret." Sune added. "If your rivals are looking outside the walls to seize his power, you can secure your footing inside."

Hiruzen blinked, then looked down at Naruto who had attached himself to his leg.

"Alright, Naruto-kun, what do you want to show me?"

* * *

.

**Chapter Three**

The Kumo diplomat sprinted silently away from the Hyuuga mansion, the bundle in his arms squirming and sobbing in a futile attempt at resistance. A grin played across his face as he glanced down at his burden which would be used to strengthen his homeland, introducing one of the greatest dojutsu into future generations. As he pelted down the road, he passed by an old wall, and that's when everything went to hell for him.

A rope snapped out of the wall and wrapped around the bundle, jerking it from his hands and through the wall. The man tried to stop and tripped, bashing his head against the ground and spiralling into darkness, not noticing as the rope snapped out again, this time looping round his ankles. An instant later, the rope tightened and pulled him straight through the wall as well.

The road seemed to be heavy with an almost supernatural silence as, for several long moments, nothing seemed to happen, and then the the diplomat was hurled back through the wall, landing on the street, wrapped in ropes and unconscious.

Oddly, he didn't have a single bruise on him, except the one on his forehead.

A moment later, a cushion landed on the floor, then a young girl, fast asleep, was gently placed on it by hands that no mortal eye could see.

.

Hiashi and Hizashi stood above the unconscious diplomat, totally confused. They had chased him, intending to capture him and bring him to justice for trying to kidnap Hinata, but the situation they had discovered made no sense at all.

The diplomat was tied up, trussed so securely that it would take quite a while to free him even with the use of kunai, but a long pole was attached to his bindings allowing him to be carried with ease.

Hinata, on the other hand, was lying fast asleep against the old wall, curled up on a large embroidered cushion, a white-and-silver fox-and-rabbit-patterned robe her size draped over her to keep her warm, a golden fox-plushie in her arms and a huge smile on her face.

"…we owe someone a favour for this." Hizashi said slowly. Hiashi could only nod as he bent down to gently pick up his daughter while two of the other Hyuuga who had followed them picked up the would-be kidnapper, placing the pole on their shoulders to carry him back. Another picked up the cushion, almost absently brushing off the small bits of dirt as he did so.

From the other side of the wall, unseen by the Hyuuga, hidden even from the Byakugan, Sune watched them leave, a gentle yet satisfied smile on her face.

.

Hinata looked around in confusion. One moment, she had been grabbed from her sleep and stuffed into a sack, the next she was sitting up in a large, grassy field, a boy she had never seen before smiling at her.

"Hello."

"Hello." Hinata whispered. "Who are you? Where am I?"

" **You are in my Garden."** A gentle voice said from behind her. Hinata looked round and her eyes widened at the sight of the giant golden fox that was lying down nearby, its gentle gaze filled with reassurance and love resting on her. **"You are asleep and your dreams brought you here, little rabbit."**

Hinata simply stared and the fox laughed.

" **Kit, show usagi around, she has had a bit of a shock. Why not… watch the fish? Or listen to the birds?"**

With a crow of joy, the boy that the fox referred to as Kit pulled her to her feet and pulled her towards a pond. Behind them, the fox laughed again.

" **Have fun, children."**

.

Sune looked down with a smile at the sleeping form of Naruto who was cuddling the white rabbit plushie, then her gaze lifted. Hiding a frown, she silently walked out into the main courtyard and stood glaring at what anyone else would have thought was an empty patch of air.

"What is it _this_ time?"

The figure of Amaretsu seemed to fade into view, power rippling like an aura of a thousand stars.

" _ **You acted outside your Shrine."**_

"Nonsense." Sune said. "I remained inside the shrine at all times, the rope was the one used to tie the trunk that Hiruzen sent closed and the plushie was purchased by order of the Hokage."

The Goddess glared at her. _**"Your actions affected what was beyond your Shrine."**_

Sune shrugged. "So do the things you do in dreams and the advice you give in your Shrines. I see no difference. Besides, by tradition, the half of the street in front of the gate counts as part of my Shrine too, so it is easy to argue that I remained within my Shrine and purposefully held back."

Amaretsu seemed to deflate slightly. _**"I should have known that you would have a counter-argument ready. Very well,**_ **this** _ **time I will not interfere, but should you come this close to breaking MY LAW again, I will not be so lenient."**_

Sune bowed slightly while hiding her smirk. "As you command, Ammy-sempai."

Amaretsu glowered at her, then vanished, leaving no sign that he had ever been there. Sune smiled and started to fade.

"Time to check that everything is going well."

.

Hinata leaned against Naruto's side, her head pillowed on his shoulder as they watched the soothing, graceful shapes of the fish as they slowly glided along just under the surface of the pond, occasionally vanishing under the floating lily leaves. Naruto's arm curled protectively around her and she smiled as she felt his cheek pressing against the top of her head.

" **I am glad to see you two are getting along so well, but I am afraid it is time for you to wake up, little usagi."**

Hinata blinked and the Garden seemed to whirl away into darkness as a familiar voice spoke.

"Hinata-chan, are you alright?"

"Kaa-san?"

Hinata opened her eyes and saw Hitomi looking down at her with worried eyes. Sitting up, she found herself being embraced.

"Kaa-san, what happened?"

"You're safe now." Hitomi smiled, hugging her daughter. "That's all that matters."

Hinata looked round, then down at the fox plushie that she was holding.

"I… I thought it was a dream?"

"What was?"

"I… was in a garden, with a golden fox and a boy and we were watching fish." Hinata said, tightening her grip on her new plushie. "The fox called him Kit."

"That sounds like a wonderful dream." Hitomi said, smiling down at her daughter. "But it's almost midnight, so it's time for you to get some proper sleep."

Hinata nodded, trying not to yawn, and lay down on her bed. As she did so, she realised that the pillow had been replaced with one embroidered with foxes and rabbits. Hitomi smiled at her.

"I'll try to explain everything tomorrow. Get some sleep.

"Okay kaasan." Hinata smiled. "Goodnight."

.

"Usagi-hime! You're back!"

Hinata opened her eyes and smiled at the boy.

"Hello Kit-san!"

Kit pulled her into a hug and Hinata froze for a moment, surprised at the open display of affection, before she relaxed into his embrace. Resting her head against his shoulder, she wrapped her arms around him and squeezed, then released him and stepped back, looking into his sky-blue eyes at arms length. A spark of mischief flashed through her mind and she quickly kissed him on his lips.

"…usagi-hime?"

"That's for being my friend." Hinata managed to say even as she blushed fiercely. Kit looked at her, then slowly enfolded her in another gentle hug.

"I… I never had a friend my age before…" he half-whispered. "Now I have you, Sune, Inari…"

Hinata felt Kit's tears tricking down where their cheeks were pressed against each other.

"Will you be my friend forever?"

"Always." Hinata said, returning his hug even as she looked past him and met the approving, gentle gaze of the golden fox. "As long as you want me, I'll be your friend, Kit. I promise."

.

Hiashi put down his saucer of sake as Hitomi entered his office.

"She's asleep. Hugging her new plushie and smiling happily. Although there were a couple of tears on her cheek, for some reason, but she seems to be fine now."

"Good." Hiashi said, glancing over at his brother, who nodded.

"I have increased the guards for tonight and tomorrow I will change the guard schedule. What happened made it clear that our current security arrangements have several holes in them. Those holes _will_ be dealt with."

Hitomi seated herself and, without asking, poured herself a saucer of sake and swallowed the drink in a single gulp.

"What news about… _him_?"

"Inoichi scanned him while he was still unconscious." Hizashi replied. "His primary mission was to kidnap Hinata for her Byakugan and breeding potential. His secondary mission, should he fail his primary, was to inspire a political dispute that would allow Kumo to get their hands on a sample of the Byakugan. If he had died, Kumo would have demanded your head, brother."

Hiashi flinched and accepted the saucer that Hitomi poured for him.

"We _really_ owe a debt to whoever stepped in." He admitted. "Any clue who it was?"

"The robe is like nothing I have seen before, I have no idea what it is made of." Hitomi said, staring into her refilled sake dish. "The pillow is made of the same fabric, the fox plushie something very similar. The fox and rabbit pattern… I have no idea about. I know of no clan in Konoha that has either as its symbol."

"Did Hinata say anything?"

"Only that she had a dream about being in a garden with a golden fox and a young boy named Kit." Hitomi shrugged, downing her drink and holding the dish out for Hiashi to refill. "I don't think she has any idea of who saved her."

Hiashi nodded. "Then I shall tell everyone not to mention the fox plushie or the cushion. Should the rescuer, whoever he or she may be, finally decide to approach us, seeking payment of the great debt that we owe them, they will be able to prove the truth of their words by mentioning the gifts they left her with."

"A good plan." Hizashi concurred. "As for the robe… I think that Hinata should wear it next time she goes outside the clan compound. Maybe it will inspire her rescuer to approach us."

Hitomi nodded. "I agree. But what will we tell the Hokage? How can we explain this?"

A long silence seemed to descend, then one of them broke it.

"We tell him the truth. We tell him we do not know _yet_ who provided aid to us on this night. When we find out, we will offer an alliance to them."

Hizashi nodded. "I agree, brother. But I must ask, how did _he_ know about the gaps in our security? How did _he_ know where Hinata's bedroom was?"

Hiashi opened his mouth, then froze. A moment later, his jaw snapped shut and his normally controlled expression twisted into one of barely-restrained fury.

"There is a traitor in the Clan Council. Maybe more than one." He ground out. "That is the only way that the events of this night make any sense."

"Then we need to find the traitor and kill them." Hitomi stated.

" _After_ finding out why they did so." Hizashi interjected and the other two looked at him. "We need to know the why, brother. Was it an attempt to gain an alliance with Kumo, to get Kumo to perform a mission for the clan? Was it an attempt to destroy you politically, rendering you easy prey for those who are opposed to your attempts to change the clan? Is someone seeking to render you unfit to lead us? We need to know what the attack was meant to achieve and if there are any more attacks planned."

For almost a moment, the trio remained silent, each wrestling with their own thoughts.

"We shall discuss this further tomorrow." Hiashi eventually said.

.

"Good morning, tousan."

Hiashi turned towards his daughter and froze, his eyebrows lifting slightly.

"Hinata, what is that in your hair?"

Hinata stared at him for a moment, then slowly reached up. Her hand lightly touched the bright orange long-stemmed flower that had been placed in her hair, then she slowly brought it down so that she could stare at it with disbelieving eyes.

"Kit?"

"Kit?" Hitomi repeated curiously as she entered behind her daughter. "Who or what is Kit? Is this the boy you were dreaming of?"

Hinata nodded, a blush spreading itself across her cheeks.

"Yes, kaasan. In my dream, he put this flower in my hair and said it was a gift for my garden… but it was a dream! I don't understand how… how… I don't understand."

"Consider it a gift from Inari." A new and familiar voice said and everyone looked round to see Sarutobi standing in the entrance. " _That_ is a mystical flower. For now, I would advise planting it and letting it grow. Make sure it has a full bed to itself, it will grow quite fast once planted."

"But… it is… _orange_." Hiashi stated, staring at the flower cupped in his daughter's hands.

"Tousan…?"

Hiashi sighed as Hinata's pleading expression effortlessly smashed through all of his defences.

"Alright. The south-east garden is not used very much, you can plant the flower in one of the beds there."

Hinata's face lit and she took a step before Hiashi's cough stopped her in her tracks.

" _After_ breakfast."

"Yes, tousan."

Hiashi turned to the Hokage, one eyebrow raised. " _Mystical_ flower?"

Hiruzen nodded with a gentle smile. "I received one myself. I now have an entire line of orange along the edge of my garden."

"We shall discuss this later." Hiashi finally decided.

.

"Kit!"

"Usagi-chan!"

Hinata embraced her new dream-friend, then a familiar chuckle caught her attention. Letting Kit, go, shelooked past him and her eyes widened as Kit turned round to look.

"Jiji!"

Hinata's mouth dropped open in shock as Kit charged across and tackle-hugged Hiruzen, who smiled and returned the hug. Gathering her courage, Hinata took a step forwards, then froze as Hiruzen looked at her.

"It's alright, Hinata. There is no rank in the Garden of Inari."

"Hinata?" Kit asked curiously, then he shook his head. "Usagi-chan!"

"Little rabbit?" Hiruzen half-asked with a smile. "Well, I'm sure that you look after her."

"She's my friend." Kit stated, releasing his grip and dashing to Hinata's side. Hinata blushed as Kit gave her another hug, but she returned it, burying her face against the side of his neck and inhaling his scent.

"So I see." Hiruzen chuckled. "So I see. Why don't you run along, I need to talk with Inari about adult stuff that would probably bore you both to tears."

The two children scampered off towards the pond and Hiruzen sighed.

"Ah, the joys of youth."

" **A thing to be trasured."**

Hiruzen turned and bowed to the golden fox. "Inari-Sama. Thank you for rescuing Hinata, the Hyuuga clan owe you a great debt."

" **But they do not know yet to whom it is owed."** Inari smiled. **"No need to worry, I know that you decided to wait and speak to me before doing anything about it, given that the intervention was on my orders."**

Hiruzen nodded. "So, what should I do?"

" **I cannot keep the kit in the temple for too much longer without compromising his future."** Inari said, watching as Naruto placed a flower in Hinata's hair, getting a giggle and a kiss on the cheek in return. **"He will need somewhere to stay, someone to teach him the ways of the ninja. Sune is making sure that he can read and write as well as imparting the knowledge that he needs, but when he goes to the Academy and starts the path of the ninja, the Shrine will have served its purpose."**

"I see." Hiruzen mused as he sat down on the grass. Inari curled up behind him, letting him use her haunch as a backrest while her head looked over his shoulder. "I will make the preparations."

" **Do not separate the Kit from the Usagi."** Inari said quietly and Jiruzen nodded once again, his mind going through all the possible plans.

"Should whoever takes him in learn about his heritage?"

Inari nodded. **"Yes, but let the kit enjoy his youth. When he takes the Hitai-ate, then will be the time for him to learn about his parents and their sacrifice."**

"And the Kyuubi?" Hiruzen asked quietly, watching as Hinata snuggled into Naruto's side as they sat watching the fish in the pond, dangling their feet so that their toes just touched the surface.

" **Again, when he becomes a Genin."** Inari said. **"Until then, let them grow as they need to, let them be happy."**

Hiruzen nodded as in the distance Hinata giggled at the feeling of the fish gently nibbling on her toes.


	3. A Different Path

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Celestial Dragon King Kyoleth has adopted this one-shot. [You can find their take on it here.](https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13659856/1/Different-Path)

**Prologue**

Naruto sighed as he looked out over Konoha from atop the cliff holding the faces of the four Hokages of Konoha.

Sure, he was going to become Hokage some day, he _knew_ that, but entering the Chunin exam…

His mind drifted back to the mission that he and his team (team, ha!) had completed in the Land of Waves. During the mission, all he had learned was tree-walking. Sasuke had managed to awaken his shinug… shoring… _Sharingan_ , that was it, giving him a massive boost. Even Sakura had come out better with her perfect chakra control and Kakashi-sensei giving her taijitsu tips, but what had he learned?

Tree walking.

And he still wasn't very good at doing it.

His only real Jutsu was his _Kage Bunshin_ and they were only really good for weakening an enemy since they burst too easily.

He needed to learn more Jutsu, but how? Kakashi kept refusing to teach him, spending time helping Sasuke with his fire jutsu and Sakura would simply pound him again.

Naruto sighed. He just wasn't ready. Unless he used the Kyuubi's chakra like he did on the bridge, he was hopeless. Even Sakura could beat him in taijutsu and she was using the basic Academy style, not the advanced form that Mizuki had…

Naruto snarled as he finally made a connection that he really should have made months ago.

He was the only one taught that style and almost everyone could beat him in a spar. Mizuki had taught him a bad style and only his pain tolerance and sheer stamina got him through the real fights.

There was no choice.

Until he got better, until he learned a _proper_ style and got some more Jutsu to use, he just wasn't ready for promotion.

He'd send a _Kage Bunshin_ tomorrow to wish his team-mates good luck while he went to the library to search out scrolls on taijutsu.

Naruto nodded as he rose from his seat, unaware that his decision had just changed the course of the future.

* * *

.

**Chapter One**

The alarm sounded and Naruto pulled himself out of bed, yawning. Getting up, he staggered into the bathroom and switched on the shower, letting the shock of the cold water finish waking him up as he reached for the lye soap. Wincing at its harshness, he scrubbed himself all over to get clean, then switched off the shower and wrapped a towel around his waist as he headed for the kitchen to make his breakfast. As he did so, he glanced at the calender.

"Urgh, need to do some training, but where… Iruka would know where a quiet place is! Maybe practice my kunai throwing, I _suck_ at it…"

The whistling of the kettle caught his attention and he quickly turned off the stove before pouring the hot water into a pot of instant ramen.

"Instant Ramen, why do they call it instant." He groused, slowly stirring it. "Should be called _three-minute_ ramen, not _instant_ ramen… why does this take so long! Why do three minutes pass like a damned three hours waiting for Kakashi-sensei? Grrrrr…"

After far too long for the blond's liking, the ramen was finally ready and he grabbed a pair of chopsticks.

"Itadakimasa!"

Within a minute, the pot was empty and Naruto threw it into the bin.

"Ahh, that hit the spot. Alright, time to get dressed and then find Iruka."

.

Iruka sighed as he worked his way through the folders arrayed on the desk before him. Despite the fact that the Chunin exams were about to happen (and the Academy had been temporarily closed down for the first stage), the paperwork was still somehow piling up.

He would even take having to deal with another prank by Naruto rather than…

"Iruka-sempai!"

Iruka looked up as Naruto pulled himself in through the window.

"Heya, Iruka, I've been looking for you!"

"Naruto." Iruka smiled, "I'm afraid that I have a deadline, so I can't treat you to…"

"Nah, don't want that at the moment." Naruto interrupted, causing Iruka to stare at him in shock. "I need some advice, Iruka-sensei. My chakra-control still sucks even though I can tree-walk. What other exercises are there?"

Iruka leaned back, rubbing his chin thoughtfully as Naruto performed one of the best _Puppy Dog Eyes no Jutsu_ he had ever seen a male perform. "Well, the next stage is generally water-walking. It's like tree-walking, but takes more chakra and you have to keep changing the amount because the water keeps flowing."

"Right!" Naruto exclaimed. "Water walking! And that'll help with my chakra control and learning more jutsu!"

Iruka frowned slightly. "Naruto, after… that night, I did some research into the _Kage Bunshin_. Did you know that when a clone dispels, everything it learns gets sent back to the original and any other clones?"

Naruto looked at him blankly and Iruka sighed. "Look, make a clone for me."

A puff of smoke marked the appearance of a second Naruto and Iruka rose.

"Okay, original Naruto, stay here, clone, with me."

Naruto nodded and sat down as Iruka and his clone walked out the door. A moment passed, then Naruto blinked as Iruka re-entered.

"Excellent! I'll head there to do it!"

"Head where?"

Naruto stared at him as if he'd gone mad. "The small lake you just told me about."

"I told your _clone_ about it." Iruka pointed out and Naruto's eyes widened so much that Iruka thought that they were about to fall out of their sockets.

"Whoa! That's cool! Freaky, but cool!"

"It'll help with your chakra control." Iruka shrugged. "Make fifty clones to do tree-walking and fifty to do water-walking. Every five minutes or so, dispel the best clone of each and the memories of how to do it should help all the other clones do it better. Once all the clones are gone, you should be really good at both. Just don't dispell too many at once or the influx of memories might knock you out."

"Whoah." Naruto breathed, then he lunged forwards and hugged Iruka. "Thanks! I _knew_ that you'd be able to help me with that! Thanks, Iruka-sensei! You're much better than Kakashi-sensei at teaching cool stuff!"

Before Iruka could respond, Naruto had released him and dived out of the window.

"I hope he remembers that he has the chunin exam today." Iruka sighed as he sat back down.

PPPPPHHHhhhttthhhhhhttttttt!

Iruka sighed, then stood up. Lifting the cushion, he pulled out a now-deflated whoopee cushion that had been concealed beneath it. Looking at the whiskered chibi drawn on it, a figure giving the victory sign, he sighed with a wry grin.

"Alright, he got me."

.

"Hey, boss, watcha doin'?"

"Hey, Konohamaru." Naruto smiled at the leader of the trio who were jogging up after him. "Training, tree-walking and water-walking, once I grab a swimsuit."

"Cool! Can we come?" Konohamaru asked and Naruto raised an eyebrow.

"Well, okay, but who are your friends?"

"I'm Moegi!" The girl stated proudly.

"And I'm Udon." The boy sniffed.

"Pleased to meet you both." Naruto grinned. "I'll teach you tree-walking when we get to the lake."

"See?!" Konohamaru crowed, "Didn't I tell you that he was awesome?"

"You know where the small lake is near training area 32?" Naruto asked and Konohamaru nodded. "Good, meet me there in half an hour and I'll get you started on learning tree-walking which'll really help you with your chakra control and stealth. After all, very few people look up."

To make his point, Naruto placed his foot on the wall of the building and then, concentrating hard, walked up the side of it until he was on the roof. Looking down, he smiled at the shocked expressions of the three children.

"Well, get moving!"

"Yes, sensei!" All three chorused before sprinting off. Naruto chuckled and leapt across the alley, heading for his apartment.

.

Arriving at the lake, Naruto quickly set up several long stakes, attaching a sheet to them to make a shielded training area. Pausing in thought, he performed his favourite Jutsu and sixty clones appeared.

"You," Naruto said pointing to one, "Head to the academy, when Teme and Sakura show up, join them and wish them good luck, then dispell. The rest of you, start tree-walking, except you two. You're on timing duty. I want you to see which clone is the best and have it dispell after ten minutes, you're on trees and you will be water. You six stay to one side, you'll be teaching Ko and his friends tree-walking when they arrive."

"Yes, boss!" The clones shouted, then they split up to begin as Naruto darted into the shelter to change into his swimming trunks. Once he had done so, he moved to the edge of the small lake and summoned another fifty clones.

"Water-walking!" He commanded. "You ready to start timing?"

"Sure boss." Said the clone that had ambled over to join them, a big grin on its face. "This should be fun!"

"Yeah, yeah." Naruto sighed, then he started to focus his chakra.

"Whoa! We never spotted _that_ before!" one of his clones marveled.

Naruto blinked and looked down at his stomach where an odd spiraling seal was fading.

"Oh, that. That must be the seal that the Yondaime sealed the Kyuubi into. Just ignore it."

"The Kyuubi? Cool!" A younger voice crowed and Naruto facepalmed.

"Ko, you're early."

"You have the Kyuubi sealed away? That's awesome!" Konohamaru chattered as he dragged his friends to the water's edge.

"It's not that great." Naruto sighed. "It's why so many hate me, they don't see _me_ , they see _it_. The Yondaime sealed it away with the greatest seal he'd ever made so that it couldn't escape, but…"

Naruto shrugged and Udon leaned forwards. "That's amazing. I am _so_ going to learn how to do that."

"It's called Fuuinjutsu." Naruto supplied, then he blinked and turned to the other trunk-clad clones crowding around. "Oy! Water walking, remember?!"

The clones promptly scrambled to the edge of the lake and soon a near-constant stream of splashes and cut-off swearing started to echo across the lake. Naruto sighed again.

"Okay you three, I have six clones over there who will help you. They'll support you until you get the chakra right in your feet and catch you if you fall. Go on."

"Thanks, boss!" Konohamaru shouted as the trio ran towards the waiting clones and Naruto turned his attention to the lake.

"Now, focus chakra, push it through my feet and…glub! Bleaurgh! Dammit! This is way harder than tree-walking!"

.

"Now, channel your chakra through your feet and into the tree." One of the clones supporting Konohamaru said. "Once you think you have it, try to pull your foot away to check that it's sticking."

"This is easy…whoa! Thanks."

Konohamaru glanced across to the ext tree, where Moegi had just been caught as she slipped off the trunk. The clones re-positioned her so that her feet were pressed against the bark and, frowning in concentration, she started to slowly walk up the tree again.

"This isn't so har… whoah!"

Konohamaru looked the other way just in time to see the pair of clones assigned to Udon catch the plummeting boy. As he tried to calm down, the clones carefully repositioned him.

"You're doing good. Keep going until you get tired, then stop for a rest."

Konohamaru made the Ram sign with his hands and felt his Chakra flowing towards his feet.

"Okay…" He whispered and carefully took one step up the branch, then a second and a third.

"Yes! Waargh!"

The clones caught him as he dropped and he smiled at them.

"Thanks."

.

Naruto leapt for joy as he stood atop the water. Only fifteen clones had been dispelled before the accumulated experience relayed to him let him reach the point where he no longer had to concentrate. His remaining tree-climbing clones were all moving easily up and down the trees and along the underneath of the branches as if the oddly-angled surfaces were simply flat ground. From one side, the young trio watched in amazement.

"See, I _told_ you that Boss was awesome." Konohamaru exulted as he wiped the sweat off his brow. "He taught us how to tree-walk in one day, who else could have done that?"

"Yeah, he's cool." Moegi admitted, then she sighed. "But I'm exhausted, how do I get home?"

"My clones can carry you back." Naruto said as he walked towards the changing area to put his normal clothes back on. "Just direct them to where you need to go."

"Thanks, boss." Konohamaru said as he let one of the clones pick him up and place him on the back of another clone. "Hokage mansion! Away!"

"Hush you." Laughed the clone as it started to jog off.

"Thanks, boss!" Udon called as he was carried away and Moegi waved as she left. Naruto smiled and looked round.

"Alright, dispel five at a time." Naruto shouted and the _poof_ 's of dispelling clones soon filled the clearing. Naruto closed his eyes as the memories flooded in, then he smiled as they settled down.

"Damn, that's a _lot_ of tree-climbing and water walking. Well, means that I now have a better chance of learning new jutsu. Well, since my memories show that the Teme and Sakura have entered the exam, I guess I should try and see if there are any D-rank missions that need doing, I really need the money."

Naruto paused and looked up at the sky.

"Actually, I think I'll get some Ramen instead. Ichiraku's, here I come!"

Laughing he ran out of the clearing, then after a few moments, he re-entered it, muttering under his breath.

"Can't believe that I forgot the sheet… I can't afford to leave it behind, tonight will be too cold without it… grrrr…"

.

"Hey, old man, Ayame-nee-san! One Naruto special please!"

Ayame stared at him and Naruto shifted under her gaze. "What? Have I got something on my forehead?"

"Naruto?" Teuchi asked as he emerged from the kitchen area. "What are you doing here? I thought you had entered the chunin exams?"

"Nah." Naruto sighed, looking down at the counter. "I'm not ready for them yet. Haven't learned enough, all I've really got is my _Kage Bunshin_. Teme has his _Sharingan_ and fire jutsus while Sakura can think her way through anything and has perfect chakra control. Me, I'll just hold them back."

Ayame and Teuchi exchanged a long glance, then Ayame spoke. "Dad, you get the Ramen started. I got this."

"Okay."

As Teuchi vanished back though to the kitchen, Ayame leaned forwards, resting her elbows on the counter. "So, how did the other two take your absence?"

"I sent a clone to give my best to them,but Sakura and the Teme refused to listen to it." Naruto sighed. "I don't know why we're still regarded as a team, I mean, the only time we work together is when we're about to be killed. What sort of teamwork is that? Sakura keeps punching me, Sasuke never speaks more than three words at a time and usually just grunts…"

"N…Naruto…?" A female voice gasped and Naruto spun round to find three people his own age staring at him in shock.

"Hey, Kiba, Hiya Shino, hello… hello… I know we used to be in the same class, what's your name again?"

"Hinata." The girl half-whispered.

"Hey man, where were you?" Kiba asked. "I couldn't see you at the exam at all after the girls leapt at Sasuke."

"I decided I wasn't ready, so I stayed away." Naruto shrugged. "I sent a clone to wish the other two luck, but they didn't listen."

"Man, that blows!" Kiba snarled. "You mean the other two got to take the exam without you? We were told by Kurenai-sensei that all _three_ were needed before we could enter."

"I… I'm sorry…" Hinata whispered, staring at the ground and Kiba shook his head.

"Yeah, well fortunately scarhead was lying about never taking the exam again. We'll just have to get you stronger for next time."

"What happened?" Naruto asked curiously.

* * *

.

**Chapter Two**

"Where is that baka?!" Sakura half-shouted, glaring around. From his perch on the railing of the small bridge, Sasuke just shrugged.

"Maybe we should just leave him behind." Sakura growled. "We're ready for this, even if the baka isn't."

Sasuke dropped onto the bridge with another grunt. Placing his hands in his pockets, he started to walk towards the Academy and Sakura quickly followed. A moment later, Sakura overtook him.

"Come on! We need to run to get there on time!"

Sasuke pulled out his pocket-watch and glanced at it, then broke into a sprint. "Dammit, if waiting for him costs me my chance at promotion, I'll kill the dobe!"

.

As the Academy came into view, Sakura snarled at the sight of a familiar orange-clad figure waiting by the door. "Dammit! He _knew_ to meet us at the bridge!"

"Probably wanted us to fail so that he could pass." Sasuke snarled.

"Hey, guys, I…" The figure started, only to stop as Sakura grabbed his collar.

"Shut up and come on!"

"Hey, wait, you don't under… glrk!"

Working together, Sakura and Sasuke dashed up the two flights of stairs dragging the protesting form of their team-mate behind them. At the door to room 301, a familiar figure was waiting for them.

"Just in time, another thirty seconds and you'd have been disqualified." Kakashi said, not looking up from the orange book he was reading. "Go on, the test is waiting for you and it's a good thing you are all here as if one of you had decided not to come, none of you could have participated."

"You almost cost us our chance!" Sakura snarled at the protesting blond as she shoved him through the door. As Sasuke followed them through, the door closed and locked behind them.

"Sasuke!"

Ino barreled through, knocking Sakura sideways as she latched onto Sasuke, then a voice sounded.

"Enough! Everyone grab a number and get to a seat, NOW!"

Sakura grabbed a ticket from the proffered fishbowl and scurried to her seat. Once she was sat down, she glanced round.

' _That's odd,'_ she thought, _'What happened to Naruto? His eye-burning orange should be easy to spot, but I can't see him? Oh well. It's not as if he'd be of any use to us. Not compared to Sasuke.'_

"Welcome to the first stage of the chunin exams." The intimidating figure at the front of the examination hall growled. "I am Ibiki, the main Proctor of this stage. The rules are simple. You start with ten points per team and each time you are caught cheating, your team loses two points. Once a team has lost all its points, it will be removed from the exams. There is no appeal, the examinors decision is final. You will answer the first nine questions and in one hour, you will have the choice of answering the tenth question, although different rules will apply. You may begin!"

Sakura gulped and turned over the first page of her sheet.

' _Well, these questions are advanced, but I know the answers. Oh, I hope that Naruto doesn't screw things up trying to cheat, we all know what a klutz he is…'_

.

"Byakugan." Hinata whispered as she activated her Kekkai Genkai. Without moving, she let her gaze drift around the room. _'Aha, Sakura is already answering the questions, I can copy off her and… what? Where's Naruto? I know that I saw him come in, but I can't see him! What's going on? Has he been thrown out already, and if he was, why are Sakura and Sasuke still here? I don't understand!'_

.

At the front of the room, Morino Ibiki frowned as he counted the students yet again. _'154 of the seats are filled, but there should be 15 **5** given that two of those seated are planted chunin for others to copy off. 87 people from Konoha, 30 from Suna, 21 from Ame, 6 each from Kusa and Taki and a team of 3 from the new village of Otogakure, so which group is missing one? I can see both the chunin, so I know that they're not the problem… dammit, I hate it when things don't add up properly.'_

.

Sasuke activated his _Sharingan_. From where he was sitting in the back row, he could see Sakura's right arm and he used his _Sharingan_ to duplicate the movements, letting his arm copy her work.

' _I guess that she came in useful after all.'_ He mused with a small smirk on his face as he finished filling in the ninth question. Deactivating his _Sharingan_ , he looked round, then frowned.

' _Where the hell did the dobe end up? I am_ not _going to get thrown out because that idiot panicked about the test. Heh, chances are that he wouldn't even be able to put his own name down correctly.'_

.

' _How troublesome.'_ Shikamaru thought, glancing round covertly. _'I know that I saw Naruto come in, then Ino sent him flying and he must have done a_ Shunshin _or something as he vanished in a cloud of smoke, but_ where _did he go? Did he simply step out to avoid this test or something?'_

No answer presented itself and Shikamaru turned his attention back to answering the questions.

' _What a drag.'_

.

"Time's up, put your pencils down." Ibiki snarled, his frustration at having failed to work out which team was undermanned evident in his voice. "It's time for the final question. Fail this question and you'll be banned from participating in a chunin exam ever again. Quit now and you'll still be banned and your team will go with you, but they'll be allowed to try again later. Now, how many of you think that you can pass, because the nine questions you've answered are easy compared to the tenth!"

Ibiki glared at the remaining genin, slowly ratcheting up the killing intent, until one of the Suna genin cracked.

"Sorry guys, but…"

The unfortunate genin was the stone that triggered the avalanche and Ibiki hid his smirk as the number of departing genin grew. After a few moments, the flow decreased and he looked at the remaining group.

' _Heh, only ten teams remaining… although one of them is the Kami-damned team of two. Ah well, may as well end it now, or Anko will be whining about how I'm spoiling her fun.'_

"All right." Ibiki growled. "The tenth question… you all pass."

For a moment, everyone was silent, then the pink-haired girl slammed up into a standing position.

"WHAT?"

"You all pass." Ibiki smirked. "This was a test to see if you were willing to take the risks required to finish a mission. When you go out there, you won't have all the information you need, and sometimes the client will lie to you."

Ibiki pulled off his bandana and several of the genin turned white at the sight of the scars and holes on his shaven scalp. "I gained these scars because my team were given false information and we were ambushed. I was tortured for information, but I didn't break. You didn't break…"

CRASH!

Ibiki blinked as a banner unfurled in front of him even as the broken glass from the window finished hitting the floor and he sighed as he donned his bandana again. Reaching out, he moved the banner aside and stepped forwards, glaring at the lady who hade made such a dramatic entrance through the now-glassless window.

"Anko, you're early."

The shorter woman smirked at him as he glanced at the banner that proclaimed her to be the _sexy and single proctor of the second exam, Mitarashi Anko_ , then she turned her attention to the staring genin.

"Heh, ten teams, huh? You really pruned them back for me. Allright, scumbags, the next test is at training area 44, follow me!"

Before Ibiki could say anything, Anko had dived out of the window, followed by several of the genin while the rest piled out through the door.

"Collect the papers and compare them to the list." Ibiki directed the chunin proctors. "Find out which team was missing one of their members. If it was a Konoha team, their jonin-sensei and I are going to have a… _talk_."

.

"I'm sorry." Hinata muttered sadly for the dozenth time, refusing to look up at her two team-mates. "I'm… I'm not strong enough yet… I'm holding you back…"

Shino and Kiba exchanged glances, then Kiba sighed. "It's okay. We'll help you get stronger, then we can participate in the next exams."

"I agree." Shino droned. "Why you ask? Although I am advanced in my clans techniques, I am unconvinced that I am strong enough to advance given that we have been genin for only half a year."

"I still let you down." Hinata whispered, then she looked up as a familiar voice said something. "K… Kurenai… sensei…"

"Ibiki?" Kurenai asked, her red eyes filled with understanding and Hinata nodded, her gaze dropping back down to the ground.

"I… I can't ever be a chunin… I failed and…"

"That was a lie designed to make you quit." Kurenai said gently. "You'll be allowed to try again."

"R… really?"

"I promise." Kurenai said, then she glanced up at a bird flying overhead. "Something's come up and I need to get going. You two, get Hinata home safely and I'll see you all tomorrow at ten for a mission and training."

"Sure thing, sensei!" Kiba replied as Shino nodded silently. As Kurenai strode off, the trio resumed their progress.

.

"Listen up, brats!" Anko strutted, "This is training area 44, also known as the Forest of Death, and the site of our second stage. Your mission is simple, you will each get a single scroll, either Heaven or Earth. You will collect a full set by any means necessary and be at the central tower in no less than five days. If you lose a team—mate, you fail! If you leave the area before the test ends, you fail! If you reach the tower with only one scroll, you fail! Now, fill out the forms that mean we don't have to take responsibility for when you die, grab a scroll and get to the gate you are told to go to! Move it!"

.

"N…Naruto…?" Hinata gasped and the orange-clad figure in the Ramen stand spun round.

"Hey, Kiba, Hiya Shino, hello… hello… I know we used to be in the same class, what's your name again?"

"Hinata." She half-whispered.

"Hey man, where were you?" Kiba asked. "I couldn't see you at the exam at all after the girls leapt at Sasuke."

"I decided I wasn't ready, so I stayed away." Naruto shrugged, oblivious to the shock that Team 8 were expressing. "I sent a clone to wish the other two luck, but they didn't listen."

"Man, that blows!" Kiba snarled. "You mean the other two got to take the exam without you? We were told by Kurenai-sensei that all _three_ were needed before _we_ could enter."

"I… I'm sorry…" Hinata whispered yet again, staring at the ground and Kiba shook his head.

"Yeah, well fortunately scarhead was lying about never taking the exam again. We'll just have to get you stronger for next time." Kiba said reassuringly, patting her shoulder.

"What happened?" Naruto asked and Shino tilted his head slightly.

"It was an excellent display of psychological warfare designed to terrorise anyone who doubted their ability to proceed."

"Huh?" both Kiba and Naruto asked, then they looked at each other and shrugged while Shino sighed.

"Ibiki scared everyone who did not think they would be able to continue."

Naruto whistled. "Wow! Good thing that I _wasn't_ there, I'd have got Sakura and the Teme thrown out and Kakashi-sensei would have killed me for doing so."

"Yeah, but… you, three… what?"

Naruto stared at Kiba, then transferred his gaze to the other two.

"And for those of us who don't speak mutt, what did he say?"

For a moment, Hinata and Shino looked at Kiba, then at each other before Hinata sighed.

"Kiba-san was asking how Sasuke and Sakura were able to be in the tests when all three members of the team were needed."

"Dunno." Naruto shrugged, turning to the bowl of ramen that had been placed on the counter. "I thought it was either Kakashi being a lazy git like normal or the other ninja trying to ignore me again. Didn't seem at all unusual to me."

As he picked up his chopsticks, a puff of smoke erupted by his side to reveal the form of Kakashi.

"Hey, sensei. Fancy a bowl?" Naruto shrugged.

"Naruto…" Kakashi growled, grabbing him by his collar.

"What?" Naruto yelped as they vanished.

"What just happened?" Kiba asked after a silent moment.

.

The gates slammed shut behind the genin vanishing into the forest and Anko pulled out a wrapped stick of Dango, only to pause as one of the chunin appeared.

"What?"

"We… just counted the forms, Anko-san." The chunin said nervously. "There's twenty-nine of them."

"So?" Anko shrugged, then her brows furrowed. "Hang on… that means that there's a team that isn't three, but only two. How the hell did that happen? Who bailed?"

"It's worse than that." A voice said from behind her and Anko looked round.

"Oh, hi, Ibiki. Worse?"

"We know who the missing genin is."

Anko raised an eyebrow, then looked at the ten Jonin from the various villages arrayed behind Ibiki.

"Uzumaki Naruto."

Hatake Kakashi dropped his book as all the other Jonin turned to stare at him. "What?!"

"You passed two of your team through instead of stopping them at the door, Kakashi." Ibiki growled, transfixing Kakashi with his glare.

"All three of them were there!" Kakashi protested and Ibiki shook his head. Anko looked up from the pile of forms.

"I don't have a form for the Uzumaki brat. Got one for the Uchiha and the screaming fangirl, though. What the hell is going on?"

" _Kage Bunshin_." Ibiki stated. "I watched the recording, one of Naruto's _Bunshin_ entered the room and was dispelled. What were you thinking, Kakashi? I _know_ you can tell the difference between a _bunshin_ and a genin."

"Ummm, well…"

"Find him and bring him here. Now!" Ibiki stated and Kakashi vanished in a sealless _shunshin_.

"Damn, the copycat got pranked?" Anko whistled and Ibiki sighed.

"We all did and now it's too late to interfere. I need to know why the kid did that."

"My ramen!" A voice protested as Kakashi reappeared and dropped Naruto onto the ground. "Dammit, sensei, I _paid_ for that! You owe me another bowl!"

Several sniggers alerted the irate pre-teen to the fact that he was in company and he looked round.

"Sensei, what's going on…?"

"Well," Kakashi said grumpily, "It would seem that you've broken the rules and left the test half-way through."

"What?" Naruto yelped. "I never entered! I sent a clone to wish Sakura and the Teme good luck, that was all!"

"You never entered?" Ibiki repeated, causing Naruto to gulp nervously upon noticing him. "Why would you not want to be promoted? After all, you want to be Hokage, right?"

"Hell yeah!" Naruto half-shouted, then he looked at the ground. "And I can't be Hokage if I suck, I need way more training and Kakashi _doesn't give it to me_!"

Everyone stared at Kakashi as Naruto continued his rant. "I have to work with a girl who's idea of saying _hello_ is to punch me and a Teme best described as… what did Moegi call him? Ah yes, _Duckbutt McGrumpypants_!"

Several of the assembled Jonin quickly smothered their laughter.

"Dammit, we're not even a team! Sakura's constantly mooning over the Teme and refusing to train because it'll wreck her figure, as if she isn't more flat-chested than I am, while the Teme is so transfixed on killing his brother that if it doesn't give him power, he doesn't want to know! The only reason he puts up with being around me is that he can test his taijutsu on me since I don't go down easy, and he's got worse since getting those red eyes of his! He's got the _Sharingan_ and loads of Jutsus, Sakura's got perfect chakra control and enough brains to think through anything, all I have is clones and stubbornness! That isn't enough! If I'm going to be a chunin, I need more than that!"

"You have more than that…" Kakashi protested, only for Naruto to glare at him.

"Yeah, I have tree-walking from you and water-walking from Iruka-sensei this morning. _Kage Bunshin_ , Henge , Kawarimi that works _maybe_ one time in ten, tree and water-walking… that's friggin it! Thanks to Mizuki, my taijutsu sucks and _I can't get help because you're too Kami-damned lazy_!"

Kakashi struck Naruto as he screamed the end of his rant, dropping him unconscious to the ground, then he looked around him.

"It's not that bad, honestly."

"It does explain why Konohamaru was going on about learning tree-walking from Naruto earlier, though." Hiruzen said, walking round the group and looking down at Naruto. "Kakashi, I am disappointed…"

"I'll punish Naruto, you don't need to." Kakashi said quickly, only to stop as Hiruzen glared at him.

"As I was saying _before I was so rudely interrupted_ , I am disappointed in _you_ , Kakashi. As a Jonin-sensei, you are meant to help them to progress but from what Naruto has said, you have failed in that. Even if that wasn't the case, your failure to ensure all _three_ of them entered together have already left a very large black mark on your record."

"Lord Hokage…"

"No." Hiruzen stated. "Irrespective of whether they reach the tower or not, your other students will not be allowed to advance and will be pulled from the exam. Furthermore, the future of Team 7 will rely entirely on their reaction to this and you will not be allowed to interfere. Understand?"

Kakashi nodded slowly.

"Good."

"Urrrgh." Naruto moaned. "What hit me?"

* * *

.

**Chapter Three**

The gate closed behind them as Sasuke and Sakura dashed into the forest. Running up one of the trees just inside the boundary, they paused.

"Allright." Sasuke grunted. "We don't have the dobe to slow us down, so we head out and find another team. We follow them until they fight and we see which team wins while I use my _Sharingan_ to copy their jutsus. Once the fighting is over, we follow the winners and attack them for the scroll, then head for the tower."

Sakura nodded, her mind filled with amazement at Sasuke's brilliance. Sasuke saw her nod and leapt to the next branch, Sakura hot on his trail.

.

"Dammit." Snarled the black-clad ninja, dropping the scroll back onto the pile of bloody sand that he'd retrieved it from. "Earth scroll."

Sakura's eyes widened as Sasuke gently stroked the pocket holding their own Heaven scroll.

"Head towards the tower, I'll catch up with you." He whispered and Sakura nodded. Moving as quietly as she could, she eased away from the Suna team that had mercilessly killed the entire Ame team.

"Run!"

Sakura glanced backwards and screamed as a wave of sand slammed through the trees behind her, barely missing Sasuke who was holding the required scroll in his hand. Without bothering to think, Sakura spun and sprinted as fast as she could, trying to outpace the crashing sand that was smashing through the Forest.

"What _is_ he?" Sakura gasped as a spinning branch flew by her head and Sasuke grunted.

"Less talk, more run!"

"DIE!"

A burst of adrenaline flooded Sakura's muscles as the insane voice screamed from behind them and she accelerated, as did Sasuke. Seeing an open area, they brurst out of the undergrowth and found themselves at the edge of a river.

"Logs!" Sakura shouted, pointing at the floating items. "We can cross!"

Sasuke nodded and they lept from the shore to the first, then the second and to a third as something roared behind them. As they landed on the fourth and final log, it shifted underneath them and Sakura gulped as realisation dawned.

"Oh, shi…"

The water seemed to explode as the river monster bucked underneath them and the duo were hurled into the canopy. Just before she impacted with a branch, Sakura saw one of the river beasts lunging at the trio that had been pursuing them, then everything went dark.

.

"uuuurrrrghh."

"Hn."

Sakura's eyes flickered open slowly and the world slowly resolved into a cave with Sasuke sat at the entrance, a silhouette against the greenery stretched across the opening to disguise it.

"How… long…"

"Full day." Sasuke grunted, glancing out of the camouflage. "I was starting to think you'd sleep to the end."

"Anything happen?" Sakura asked weakly and Sasuke shrugged.

"Fight in the distance, got a few more jutsu from it. Other than that, nothing."

Sakura nodded and sat up, slowly stretching as her limbs protested.

"Water in the canteen." Sasuke said, nodding to the small pile of camping equipment. "I'll re-seal it when you're ready to move out."

Sakura smiled. Sasuke knew how to seal stuff already, he was so cool.

"Good thing the baka wasn't with us." Sakura noted. "He'd have got killed and got us chucked out. I wonder what happened to him?"

"Don't know and don't care." Sasuke shrugged. "Dobe would have got us thrown out somehow."

"Yeah." Sakura agreed. "He's such an idiotic klutz."

Sasuke paused for a moment, memories of Nauto's insane-yet-somehow-workable plans flicking through his head. He still disn't know _how_ Naruto had done the impossible and actually _henged_ into a Windmill Shuriken while his shadow clones were a trick that he still hadn't been able to copy since it was a layered handseal technique that relied on the user learning one string of handseals, perfecting them to the point that they weren't actually needed any more to shape the Chakra and then funnelled through a second seal.

His _Sharingan_ meant that he could only learn the overseal and not the underlying chakra manipulation required. It was somewhat ironic that a Hyuuga would have a better chance of learning that technique from simple observation.

How Naruto had learned it when he couldn't do a normal _Bunshin_ , he had no idea.

"Here's a food pill." Sasuke said, handing it over. "Eat it and get a drink, then tell me when you're good to move out. I want you at full, otherwise we might hit trouble."

Sakura hid a smile. Sasuke _did_ care for her!

.

"The tower." Sakura gasped as they landed in the undergrowth just before the clearing that held the structure in question. Making to rise, she pused as Sasuke clapped his hand on her shoulder.

"Sakura, there's someone nearby… someone with a _lot_ of chakra…"

"Kukukukuku." A voice laughed and boh genin spun round to find themselves facing a woman with a Grass Village Hitai-ate. A moment later, they were hit with a huge gust of wind that hurled them into the air, away from the sanctuary offered by the Tower.

Sakura screamed as she hurtled towards the canopy, impacting harshly and feeling her left arm shatter under the impact. Crashing to the ground, she whimpered as her ankle twisted, preventing her from running away. A dozen meters away, Sasuke landed heavily, bruised but without the broken bones that she had suffered.

"Sas… suke…" She gasped, clutching her broken arm tightly to her as she tried to stand up. "Who.. who _was_ that?"

"I don't know," Sasuke admitted, his _sharingan_ scanning around him for any sign of the ninja who had attacked them, "but she wasn't a normal genin. Not with that amount of power."

"Well said." The woman sneered as she dropped down lightly. "Hello, Sasuke, you have something that interests me."

Sasuke blinked while Sakura started muttering. "She's chosen to go after us… sasuke-kun's her target… something that… Sasuke! She's after your eyes!"

"Well done." The woman said sarcastically, then she threw something at Sakura. She tried to dodge, but she wasn't fast enough and the object shattered against her cheek, breaking and splashing a liquid over her face.

"AAAAAAAAARRRRRRGH!"

Sakura's scream of agony echoed through the forest and the woman laughed again.

"Now that your little whore is otherwise occupied, I think that…"

The woman vanished in a fireball, then reappeared from behind a tree.

"Nice jutsu, Sasuke. Not nearly as good as your brother's fireballs, but not bad."

Sasuke snarled. "What do you know about Itachi?"

"Oh, he and I used to work for the same people. I got to know him quite well."

Sasuke pulled out a kunai and leapt at the woman, his _sharingan_ flaring red. The woman laughed as she pulled out her own kunai and blocked him, then her grin widened.

" _Three_ tomoe now, I see. You really are getting better."

Sasuke blinked and the instant of distraction was enough to let the woman throw him into a tree. Pulling himself to his feet, he lunged forwards again, only for his strike to be blocked. An instant later, the woman lunged forwards and bit him on the side of his neck.

"AAAAARGH!"

As he collapsed from the sheer agony flowing through his veins, he saw the woman smiling.

"Use my gift of power well, little Uchiha. When you want more, come to me. Kukukukukukuku!"

The world went black as the jagged lances of acidic heat seemed to stab through him.

.

"Help… us…"

Iruka blinked as he saw the sight before him.

"What happened?"

"Genin, strong, acid." Sakura slurred, looking at him with her one uncovered eye. "Sasuke down, don't know why. Hurts."

Iruka nodded and gently picked up Sasuke.

"I'll be back in a moment. Stay put."

As he vanished in a _shunshin_ , Sakura finally gave in to the pain and collapsed on the floor beside the two unrolled scrolls.

.

"Report."

The doctor looked at the Hokage and the Teacher for a moment, then down at the clipboard he was holding.

"Both patients are stable. Haruno suffered three breaks in her left arm, they have been realigned and placed in a cast, with the proper medical jutsu, the bones should be set within a fortnight. She dislocated her right ankle, it has been reset but her walking on it while dragging the Uchiha behind her did not do it any good. It will be a week before she is allowed to walk anywhere due to the damage she did to the tendons and muscles."

"And her face?" Iruka asked before he could stop himself. The doctor sighed.

"She is fortunate that the acid mostly missed her eye. We were able to apply reconstructive jutsus, but her right eye will always be red."

"Like Yuhi Kurenai's?"

"No, I mean that her eye _itself_ will be red. The iris and what was formerly the white. Her right eye is now completely red except for the pupil. As for her face, the acid was quite nasty. We had to do a skin graft and it didn't work properly due to traces of the acid we couldn't remove. The entire right side of her face is now a mass of scars."

"I'll have Kurenai instruct her in genjutsu so that she can hide it." Hiruzen said after a few moments thought.

"As for the Uchiha, several cracked bones and a seal on his neck that resembles that applied by Orochimaru to Mitarashi Anko, only more advanced." The doctor read. "The seal seems to be… for lack of a better description, _rooting_ itself into his chakra network. Until we can place it under a containment seal, we cannot let the Uchiha out of the hospital."

Hiruzen sighed. "Alright. Until they recover, they are both off duty."

"What about Naruto?" Iruka askedand Hiruzen frowned.

"I never got round to replacing Mizuki, did I?"

"No, Lord Hokage, but why do… you… you have to be kidding!"

Hiruzen smirked.

"Lord Hokage." An ANBU said, appearing and proffering a scroll. "The list of those who made it. Nine in total, three teams, two from Konoha and one from Suna."

Hiruzen accepted the scroll. "Hmmmmm… Team nine, Hyuuga Neji, Higarushi Tenten, Rock Lee, The Suna Siblings, Gaara, Kankuro and Temari of the Sand, and tempoaray team beta, Yakushi Kabuto, Akado Yoroi and Tsurugu Misumi. Interesting."

"Yes, My Lord." The ANBU said. "They are assembling for the speech."

"Very well." Hiruzen said, walking towards the door. "Iruka, find Naruto and start teaching him how to be a classroom assistant, he starts tomorrow morning."

"Yes, Lord Hokage." Iruka sighed.

"And while you are at it, you might as well see just how badly the other teachers mis-trained him and see if you can sort it out."

"Yes, Lord Hokage." Iruka grinned.

.

"What the… boss?"

Naruto grinned as Konohamaru's exclamation of shock echoed off the walls of the classroom.

"It's Naruto-sensei now, Ko. I've been tapped to help Iruka-sensei keep you lot under control."

"Yeah, right." One of the other children snorted. "There's only one of you and… _Sweet Kami_!"

Konohamaru, Moegi and Udon exchanged grins as several dozen Naruto clones spread out, each one taking position by a suddenly-silent child as Iruka entered.

"Hello, class." Iruka said, calling on all of his self-control to hide his grin. "As you can see, I have a new assistant that will be helping with your physical training. Naruto, head out, give me anther thirty to forty clones and then head over to training field nine for your lessons in taijitsu under Maito Gai."

"You got it, sensei." Naruto saluted, then he vaulted out of a window, landing silently. Iruka shook his head.

"Normally we would be continuing with the leaf exercise, but it has come to my attention that three of you can do tree-climbing. Could those three raise their hands and tell the class who taught them?"

Konohamaru grinned as He, Moegi and Udon all raised their hands, then Udon spoke up. "It was Naruto-san who taught us, he used his clones to help us do it and make sure we didn't get hurt."

Iruka nodded. "I got the story from Naruto and it seems that his method is actually more efficient than the normal one, although it requires the teacher to concentrate fully on one student at a time. A result, it isn't really a surprise that Naruto managed to come up with it. He's a one-man army. All right, I see he has more clones waiting, let's head to the trees."

With a resounding cheer, the students flooded out of the door while the clones left via the windows.

.

"Aha, Naruto! It is good to see you this youthful morning!"

Naruto froze for a moment, then glanced round. To his left was another green-spandex clad figure looking like a smaller version of Maito Gai. The other two genins with them were a dark-haired boy with a marked resemblence to Hinata and a brown-haired girl with her hair pulled up into two buns that looked a bit like panda ears.

"Ummm, hi?"

"Ah, you have yet to meet my youthful team!" Gai declaimed, giving Naruto an admittedly slightly disturbing grin and thumbs-up. "First is Hyuuga Neji, a genius of talent."

The aforementioned Hyuuga simply nodded, then resumed staring at nothing in particular.

"And here is Higarushi Tenten, a genius of skill!"

Tenten looked up from the kunai that she was polishing and smiled. "Hello."

"Hi." Naruto managed, somewhat disconcerted by the fact that a girl was _talking_ to him rather than shouting at or hitting him (Ayame didn't count as he'd known her so long).

"And we have my youthful student, a genius of hard work, Rock Lee!"

Naruto stared at the chibi-Gai, then rubbed his eyes and resumed staring.

It didn't help. The teen was still looking too much like Gai.

"Um, hi?"

"Hello, it is good to meet another who is willing to devote so much time to improving himself!"

Naruto blinked as Lee stood in _exactly_ the same thumbs-up pose as Gai, with a very similar smile on his face.

"Umino-san was kind enough to inform me that you were capable of utilizing the _Kage Bunshin_." Gai continued and Naruto nodded. "May I ask how many you can make?"

"Not sure." Naruto shrugged. "I've got about sixty helping Iruka-sensei with his class now."

For a long moment, Gai just stared at him.

"S… s… _sixty_?!"

"Could be seventy." Naruto shrugged. "Since I learned tree- and water-walking, it seems to take less energy to make them. I could probably make a couple of hundred more easily if you want."

Naruto looked round in confusion as everyone else stared at him with varying expressions of shock, then Gai spoke.

"You learned water-walking? How long did it take?"

"About three hours." Naruto shrugged. "I used a whole load of clones and dispelled the best-performing one every five minutes. The experience really mounted up quickly."

"Interesting." Gai mused, stroking his chin in thought. "Very well, let us spar now so that I can see what style you use and what style might suit you. Take your stance!"

Naruto nodded and moved into the first stance he had learned, then he frowned as Gai winced.

"What?"

"That… is _not_ a proper stance!" Gai growled. "Who taught you that… _abomination_?"

Naruto blinked and Gai shifted into an upright stance. "Never mind, just come at me however you can."

.

"…and that concludes today's practice." Iruka said with a smile. "I am glad that you were all able to take at least several steps, well be repeating this next week. Ah, Naruto… what happened?"

"Gai… style… teaching… katas…" Naruto managed to gasp before his legs gave out. Only Iruka's reflexes stopped him from measuring his length in the dirt.

"You found out why he is called the _Green Beast of Konoha_ , huh?" Iruka chuckled. "Alright. Clones, dispel by pairs. Naruto, prepare for a whole load of memories about over-excited children getting tree-walking wrong."

Naruto snorted with laughter even as the first clones vanished into puffs of smoke. Once the last clone had dispelled, Naruto looked up.

"You weren't kidding. I think only Ko's team and that Hyuuga girl managed to do it right."

"Well," Iruka said thoughtfully, "The Hyuuga clan are well-known for their advanced chakra control. In fact, their fighting style depends on it, gathering it and releasing it in controlled bursts."

"Wow." Naruto breathed. "I never knew that."

"Well, you did miss out on quite a few lessons when you were younger." Iruka said gently. "Now, I've set out a dozen books for you on the table in my classroom, so when you are ready, create some more clones to read them. In the meantime, here's your paycheck for today so perhaps you can treat _me_ to ramen for a change."

Naruto accepted the moneybag from the grinning adult and tucked it into his pocket before making a familiar seal. The clones that appeared promptly ran off into the Academy to begin their (re)-education and Naruto stretched, wincing a bit as he did so.

"So, how did you enjoy teaching?" Iruka asked and Naruto grinned.

"I see now why you like it so much." He admitted. "And on that note, for all the times I mucked around in class, I'm sorry. I guess I just got into some bad habits before you took over."

Iruka shrugged as they started to walk towards the main gate. "Well, at least you're making progress in catching up to where you should be."

"Thanks to you." Naruto grinned. "I don't know _why_ Kakashi didn't tell me about how _Kage Bunshin_ helps in learning, it's almost like he wanted me to be weaker than the Teme."

"It probably never really occurred to him." Iruka shrugged. "He might be one of the strongest Jonin in Konoha, but you three were the first team that he has actually had. He may be a great Jonin, but that doesn't mean that he's a good _teacher_."

"He hasn't taught me any cool jutsu." Naruto grumbled and Iruka laughed.

"That's _your_ job. Normally it means learning family or clan Jutsu or learning from scrolls in the Shinobi Library…"

"The what?" Naruto asked and Iruka facepalmed.

"He didn't even tell you _that_? Dammit, Kakashi. I'll show you after we've eaten. Heck, I'll even spring for a piece of chakra paper so that we can find out what your elemental affinity is."

"Errrrr…"

Iruka didn't even have to look at Naruto to realise that the young teen was confused. "Fire, Water, Earth, Lightning and Wind. The five main elements."

"In Wave, Haku used ice."

"That sounds like a _Kekkai Genkai_ , this Haku probably had the ability to combine water and wind to form it." Iruka explained, falling into his _lecturing mode_. "Abilities like that are very rare. Now, the five main elements each have their own strengths and weaknesses. For instance, if you go up against someone using fire, you're best off using water Jutsu. If you rely on wind jutsu, you will be in trouble as wind jutsu actually strengthen fire…"

.

"Damn that bastard!" Sakura howled as she stared at her reflection. "It's all his fault, I know it!"

"In a way, maybe." Kakashi said as placatingly as he could. "You and Sasuke shouldn't have entered but Naruto tricked me by sending a shadow clone instead of showing up himself…"

"I'll _kill_ the bastard!" Sakura hissed. "He _knew_ what would happen…"

"I'll lodge a complaint with the Hokage personally." Haruno Isako grated from where she was sat by the window, looking away from her daughter's ruined visage. "Dereliction of duty, treason, betrayal of his team… I'll have him thrown into the deepest, dampest cell there is for the rest of his miserable existance!"

"That could be a problem as he didn't actually _break_ any of the laws." Kakashi said quickly.

"Look what he did to my daughter!" Isako almost shrieked and Kakashi winced.

"Actually, it was Orochimaru who…"

"I bet that the bastard is allied to him!" Isako over-rode his protests. "He will pay for this, even if I have to carve him up myself!"

Kakashi swallowed nervously as the situation spun out of control.

.

"What do you mean that Sasuke has been removed from the exams?!"

* * *

.

**Chapter Four**

"What do you mean that Sasuke has been removed from the exams?!" Orochimaru hissed. The silver-haired genin medic-nin looked back at him without flinching from his anger.

"Apparently, one of his team-mates chose not to enter the exam and sent a _Kage Bunshin_ to wish them luck. Due to a mix-up, the presence of the clone got them into the first exam and by the time it was discovered that they should have been refused entry, they were already in the Forest of Death. The Hokage decreed that irrespective of what happened, both Sasuke and his team-mate Sakura would be removed from the tests as soon as they reached the tower. Both of them are currently in the hospital, having been officially declared unable to continue."

Orochimaru growled, his eyes narrowing in rage.

" _That_ … is not good news."

"The girl blames the Jinchuuriki for not supporting them." Kabuto smirked. "When Sasuke recovers, he'll probably do the same, especially if I… _help_ him reach that conclusion. When that happens, he'll probably ask to join you just to get revenge on his team-mate."

Orochimaru paused, then slowly an evil smirk spread across his face. "Yes… an excellent plan and one that fits in very well with the planned attack."

"It shouldn't be too hard." Kabuto said with a matching smile. "All I need to do is point out that while Sasuke was getting injured fleeing from Gaara, Naruto was having a cushy time helping the Academy brats learn chakra control."

"Kukukukuku." Orochimaru chuckled. "Your plan has promise, Kabuto. I look forwards to hearing your next report."

"Thank you, Lord Orochimaru." Kabuto bowed.

.

Asuma looked up as a familiar figure approached him and his team.

"Hey, that's Naruto, isn't it?" Ino said curiously. "Didn't he quit the genin exams?"

"He never entered." Asuma said, remembering the rumors that had been flying round the Jonin information network. "He sent a Shadow Clone to wish his team good luck and it somehow got the other two in. Kakashi _really_ got blacklisted for that."

"Hi." Naruto said, scratching at the back of his head. "Ummm, you're Sarutobi Asuma, right?"

"I am." Asuma said and Naruto nodded.

"Iruka-sensei said that you were the only other Wind-element type in Konoha and…"

"Wait." Asuma commanded, his eyes intent. "You're a wind-type yourself?"

Naruto nodded. "Yup! Iruka said you could give me a few hints on how to start my elemental training since you and someone called Danzo are the only wind-users in Konoha, and he told me to keep away from Danzo."

"I see." Asuma nodded. "So, have you learned any exercises for it yet?"

Naruto shook his head and Asuma picked up a fallen leaf. Holding it in his hand, he frowned slightly in concentration and the leaf promptly split in half.

"That was the first exercise." He said to the wide-eyed boy. "You focus your chakra on the leaf and cut it. I picture it as a pair of thin blades grinding against each other to sharpen them, you might do something else. It all depends on what you can get to work for you."

"Cool!" Naruto half-shouted, then he leaned forwards. "Ummm, can you show me again, please?"

With a grin, Asuma picked up another leaf and a second later, both halves fluttered to the ground.

"Okay, I think I got it. The Boss will want to try it. Thanks."

"Wait!" Asuma commanded, staring at the boy. "Boss?"

"Yeah." Naruto grinned, one hand rubbing the back of his head. "I'm a clone, Boss sent me to see if I could pick up a few tips from you. What are you doing? Quit poking me!"

Ino stepped back, eyes wide as she pulled her hand back to her side. "You… you're solid!"

" _Kage Bunshin_." The clone announced proudly. "Everything I learn goes straight back to the Boss and my bros when I dispell. Boss is getting _thwacked_ by Lee at the moment, even _Kage Bunshin_ 's aren't helping him, although he's getting good at his _Kawarimi_."

"He's swapping with his clones to avoid Lee's attacks." Shikamaru deduced and the clone nodded.

"Yep, Bushy-brows Junior really packs a wallop. He may not be able to use chakra, but he's _scary_ fast. Whup! They're taking a breather, gotta go. Thanks!"

The clone vanished in a puff of smoke and Ino sighed, turning her attention back to the remaining two males.

"I'm going to the hospital to check on Choji." She declared and Shikamaru glanced up as he moved a piece, causing Asuma to moan.

"I'll come with you." He said as Asuma sighed and started putting the pieces away. "I heard that they'll be removing the cast from his leg today, although he'll need crutches for a while."

"Yeah. Okay." Ino shrugged. "I heard that they're going to release Sakura today as well."

Shikamaru paused at that.

"Sakura? Haruno Sakura? Naruto's team-mate? What happened to her?"

.

"Hey fore… head…"

Ino's standard greeting faded as Sakura turned to face her. Half of her face was covered by a modified ANBU-style white mask with an eyeslit that hid the eye behind it. The top of the mask was moulded round Sakura's Hitai-ate which was now on her forehead rather than holding her hair back, its fabric band obviously re-purposed to hold the mask in place.

"Ino."

Ino shivered slightly at the coldness in Sakura's voice.

"I heard that you were being released today and…"

Sakura snorted and turned to look out of the window. Ino sighed.

"Sakura, I'm not here to gloat. I was worried about you…"

"You should be worried about Naruto- _baka_ , because I'm going to _kill_ him for what he did to me." Sakura growled and Ino frowned in confusion.

"What? He was nowhere near you when…"

Sakura's head snapped round, her visible eye narrowed in anger.

"Exactly! He _abandoned_ us, _betrayed_ us and ran away! I'll make sure he never runs away again!"

Ino stepped back, staring in shock at the girl who had once been her closest friend, and who she no longer knew.

Outside the window, an ANBU pocketed the tape recorder and vanished in a _shunshin_.

.

"…and that should do it." Kabuto smiled as he lifted his hands from Sasuke's torso. "Your ribs are now as strong as they were before they were broken."

Sasuke sat up, then slowly stretched. After a moment, he nodded. "Thanks."

"Just doing my duty." Kabuto smiled, although his gaze flickered to a small shadow on the windowsill. "You went up against Orochimaru, you were lucky to escape."

"I wasn't strong enough." Sasuke mused, almost ignoring the med-nin.

"Then you need to find another way to get stronger." Kabuto offered. "Perhaps your sensei can suggest something. Maybe new exercises."

"Hmph." Sasuke snorted. "Kakashi, teach? He's a lazy bastard who is always late."

"Then perhaps you could ask another Jonin to help you train in your spare time." Kabut suggested. "I heard that your team-mate Naruto is being trained by your Sensei's _eternal rival_ , Maito Gai. He is considered the best taijitsu master in Konoha, if not the Elemental Countries. I hear Iruka's giving him remedial lessons as well."

"What?!" Sasuke growled. "He decided to betray the team and got rewarded with extra training?!"

Kabuto hid a smirk as he tried unsuccessfully to calm Sasuke down, making sure that he didn't say anything that could incriminate him when the Hokage listened to the tape being recorded by the ANBU on the wall outside.

His smirk briefly broke free as Sasuke stomped out of the room and then he began tidying the ward.

Just because Konoha was going to be destroyed didn't mean that he could slack off in his duties.

.

Hiruzen sighed and pressed the button to stop the tape before looking up at Kakashi. The Jonin seemed to have aged dramatically as he listened to the recordings.

"Lord Hokage… I…"

"I let you have Team 7 because you specifically asked for it." Hiruzen said, his quiet voice somehow filling the office. "You wanted to teach Naruto and I was willing to let you do so, but it seems that my decision was in error."

"Lord Hokage…" Kakashi started, his voice pleading and Hiruzen shook his head.

"This was your last team, Kakashi. You heard yourself how unstable two of them are, this sort of thing was what you were meant to watch out for and counter."

Kakashi slumped, his gaze fixed on the ground.

"As of today, team 7 is no more." Hiruzen sighed. "If Haruno and Uchiha wish to remain as ninja, they must first submit to a full psychiatric evaluation from Yamanaka Inoichi and Morino Ibiki and undergo whatever remedial training is deemed necessary. Failure to comply within the week will result in them being returned to civilian status."

"And Naruto?" Kakashi sighed. Hiruzen pushed forwards a file and leaned back as Kakashi read through it, becoming more and more depressed as he did so. Finally, Kakashi returned the file to the desk.

"Naruto has progressed more in the last week than he has done in all the months he spent in team 7." Hiruzen said, his voice gentle but the message brutal. "Gai reports that with the aid of _Kage Bunshin_ , Naruto is fast becoming a taijitsu master. His weapons skills have also improved out of all recognition and he has actually calmed down quite a bit. My son reports that Naruto has already completed the leaf-cutting evercise and is moving on to rock-cutting."

Kakashi seemed to slump even more.

"I am redesignating Naruto as an independent genin and will be rotating him between teams eight, ten and Team Gai." Hiruzen sighed. "At this time, I have promoted Iruka to _Tobesku Jonin_ and placed him in charge of Naruto's overall progress with Naruto also being assigned to aid him in the Academy. Furthermore, given how much he has improved, I _will_ be telling him about his parents and giving him his inheritance withn the week. Given how much he has improved, he may be able to learn the _Rasengan_."

Kakashi swayed as if someone had thrown a Kunai through his heart.

"Lord Hokage, please…"

"Kakashi." Hiruzen commanded. "You are barred from contacting him for the next two weeks. He is no longer your concern. Your old position in ANBU is still open if you want to re-enlist in it, or I'm sure that I can find a mission or two for you to perform."

For a moment the two remained silent, then Hiruzen spoke again, his voice softer.

"Kakashi, not everyone is suited to teaching. You are one of the best when it comes to completing missions but no-one is great at everything."

"And Naruto…"

"Is leaving the village for a while." Hiruzen smiled. "Team 8 accepted a bodyguard contract to the Land of Snow, but the weather means that Aburame Shino would be at a major disadvantage, so Naruto is going in his stead. Jiraiya will be joining them on the way and he'll teach Naruto what he can during the mission."

Kakashi nodded slowly.

"You may go."


	4. Yamanaka Naruto

[Collected scenes that refused to gel into a story]

[Scene 1 – School Presentation]

"Uzumaki Naruto." Iruka said and Naruto looked up. "If you want to sit this one out…"

"Nah, I'm good." Naruto grinned. "I found out who my dad was."

Iruka paused. "Really?"

"Yep." Naruto said eagerly. "The Old Man didn't know, but I worked it out."

"Very well then." Iruka shrugged. "Come up and give your speech."

Naruto took a quick look at his notes and shuffled them into a neat pile before scampering to the front of the classroom. Looking round, his grin widened.

"I've been told that no-one knew who my parents were, but the clues were there." He said. "It took me quite a bit of research to find but I believe that I have finally found out who my father was, and in doing so I have discovered that I have three half-siblings, although none of them are Shinobi, as well as a cousin who is in this class. May I present my father…"

Naruto held up the large copy of the picture that he had found and the entire class went quiet, until Mizuki gasped.

"That… that's Yamanaka Ishidi!"

"WHAT?!" Ino screamed in shock. "There's no way Naruto's my cousin! He can't be!"

.

[Scene 2 – Hokage's reaction]

Hiruzen leafed through the folder that Inoichi had brought to him, then he looked up.

"What is your opinion of this?"

"Going by what he discovered as well as what my brother was like, It is certainly plausible." Inoichi said, hiding a smile. Although he was not one of those who was officially knew Naruto's heritage, he had deduced it himself some time before and had been irritated at Hiruzen's inability to ensure Naruto had been properly looked after.

Now it was time to make a stand, shielded by his apparent ignorance of the truth.

"In fact, I would say it is more than plausible. There were no Senju males in Konoha during the time when Naruto would have been conceived and the only other clan with blond hair is mine. Therefore, I agree with his conclusion and have already arranged for him to be moved from his apartment, which I have seen, to my house where he will be given a bedroom of his own and proper clan training."

Hiruzen stared at him, then shook his head.

"No, I…"

"Hey, jiji!" Naruto shouted as he cannoned into the office. "Didja hear?! I'm part of a clan now! I have family!"

"Indeed." Inoichi said, snagging the hyperactive youth out of the air and placing him by his side.

"Hey, Uncle Inoichi, what are you doing here?"

"Just going over the arrangements." Inoichi said with a smile. "As I said before, you were very clever to find out what even the Hokage couldn't."

"Yeah, I'm awesome." Naruto grinned. "I wonder who my mom was though?"

"Knowing my little brother, it could have been any of a thousand women." Inoichi sighed, playing on Ishidi's reputation as a womanizer for all it was worth. Hiruzen remained silent and Inoichi felt a momentary pang of sympathy for him. If Hiruzen claimed that Ishidi _wasn't_ Naruto's father, he would have to explain that he had lied to Naruto for years about not knowing who it really was and thus he would lose Naruto's respect and all hope of guiding him. On the other hand, by going along with Naruto's claim, he was publicly confirming that the Yamanaka clan was taking in the village _Jinchuuriki_ , thus raising them from a minor clan to potentially the most powerful one in Konoha and upsetting the political dynamics.

"Anyway, let's head back. Naruto need to re-pot that plant of his. How he managed to keep it so healthy in such a small pot, I have no idea, but it does mean he'll be able to help with the garden."

"You've got a garden?" Naruto asked, wide-eyed. "Cool!"

.

[Scene 3 – Family training]

Ino collapsed against the trunk of the tree, breathing heavily as she wiped the sweat off her forehead. Looking up, she watched as Naruto, once again, launched himself at her father, trying to land a hit on him.

"…how?" She whispered in disbelief and Naruto _bounced_ back up from a landing that would have temporarily robbed her of the ability to breathe and flung himself back into the fray. "How does… he _do_ that?"

"He doesn't give up." Inoichi replied as he motioned for Naruto to stand down and get a drink. "Of course, his stamina levels are unreal, as are his chakra levels. I'm going to need to start him on water-walking and work down to leaf-balancing."

"He can't _do_ leaf-balancing." Ino said, remembering the time when the leaf on Naruto's forehead had exploded.

"Because he has too much chakra." Inoichi reiterated, looking at where Naruto was performing stretches and cool-down exercises. "He has so much that it affects how he learns, he learns by doing, not by reading about it."

Ino nodded slowly. It would explain why he was the Dead Last.

"The fact that his teachers taught him wrong didn't help." Inoichi added, causing Ino to stare at him in shock. "His Taijitsu style was a bastardized version of the Academy style and all wrong for his body type. I may need to call in Maito Gai for this."

Ino winced. She had met Maito Gai before and his… _unique_ wardrobe still sent shivers of horror down her spine.

"Hey, cousin." Naruto said, appearing beside her and startling her into emitting an _eep_! "Here's a cup of water for you, you look kinda sweaty."

"Ladies _don't_ sweat." Ino stated as she accepted the cup. "We _glow_."

"Really?" Naruto asked, brushing his hand across her forehead and looking at it. "Inoichi-sensei, is this sweat or glow? I thought glow was different. Why are you laughing?"

.

[Scene 4 – Shopping]

"I'm thinking… _Blondaime_." Ino said as she walked around a nervous Naruto, examining him closely. "And _that_ has to go. Bright orange? Do you _want_ to be killed?"

"But orange is awesome!" Naruto protested and Ino shook her head.

"No cousin of mine is going around looking like a forest fire if _I_ have anything to do about it! Anyway, didn't you say that you wanted to surpass the Yondaime? Well, you'll need the clothes for that. Come on!"

"Hey, wait!" Naruto shouted as he found himself being towed out of the house and down the street. Even channeling chakra into his feet as he had been taught for the tree-climbing exercise failed to slow Ino down, although it did leave a pair of near-parallel grooves in the road.

"Iiiiinnnnooooooo!"

"Stop whining." Ino commanded as she pulled him into a clothing store. "Now, you'll need proper clothing, something like my dad wears but with a bit of the Yondaime thrown in… hmmmmm, nope, nope, too bright, too loose, too tight, maybe, nope, nope, I wonder… no, forget it, it wouldn't wo… NARUTO!"

Naruto jumped and dropped the jacket he had picked up from the pile in the corner.

"Ino, I…"

"Alright!" Ino sighed. "I'll make sure you get some orange in your clothes, okay?"

"Thanks!"

"Here." Ino commanded, handing him some black trousers and top. "Put this on."

"But you said…"

"You'll get orange, don't worry." Ino said soothingly. "That's just the base, it'll make it more… I can't believe I'm saying this… _awesome_."

Naruto hugged her, then picked up the clothes he had dropped and scampered into the changing cubical as Ino blinked several times, then she turned and, smiling, rummaged through the clothes that had caught her eye.

"Changed!"

Ino nodded and threw a pair of orange-rimmed arm protectors at Naruto.

"Good, now put these on. Excellent, now this, it'll help protect you."

Naruto shrugged on the armoured over-vest, then he grinned as Ino held up a rusty-orange sleeveless high-collared Haori with black flames rising from the bottom.

"Coooooooooooooooooool."

Ino grinned as she helped Naruto to don the Haori, then she stepped back and nodded.

"Grow your hair out and wear it in a ponytail and it'll be _perfect_." She announced in satisfaction.

"I agree." Inoichi said from behind her and Ino leapt in shock.

"Daaa-aaad! Stop _doing_ that to me!"

"Although you need a few kunai pouches with that." Inoichi added as Naruto struck a pose in front of the mirror.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The story was planned to have Naruto's real heritage discovered by Mizuki, who claims that the Forbidden Scroll contains a jutsu that will reveal Naruto's mother's name. Naruto gets the scroll, but having already been taught the Kage Bunshin by Inoichi, unrolls it more and comes across the Shiki Fuuin seal and the notes, including who made it, who used it and upon whom.
> 
> Naruto is quite skilled as Inoichi, seeing his potential, arranged to have him trained to his strengths, including using the Kage Bunshin teaching trick to its fullest potential as planned by Nara Shikaku.
> 
> Due to his chakra-control issues, Naruto never learns any of the Yamanaka clan jutsus.


	5. Council Bashing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written because it's almost mandatory to write a "civilian council tries to screw Naruto over" story.

"…so, before we continue, does anyone wish to leave. The teamwork portion is over, your team-mates will not be penalized should you choose…"

"Oh, hell yeah!" A voice shouted and Hiruzen's eyes widened in shock. "I'm _so_ out!"

Every single Konoha ninja stared in shock at the blond who had spoken and Naruto rubbed the back of his head.

"What?"

"You… are… quitting?" The Hokage asked and Naruto shrugged.

"Well, yeah. Ever since the Council got the Daimyo to sign that damned set of laws, my career's pretty much dead."

Hiruzen stared at his favorite orphan in confusion. "…laws?"

Naruto nodded and rummaged around inside his orange jacket, finally pulling out a scroll. Unrolling it, he unsealed a large stack of paper and started passing the sheets round.

"I had my clones copy it after one of them found it while setting up a prank on the old biddy who tries to tell you what to do."

Hiruzen managed to choke back a chuckle at the description of Ututane Koharu, then he looked down at the sheet that he had been given and instantly felt his temper straining against the controls he had spent decades perfecting.

"As you can see," Naruto said once the last of the sheets had been passed round, "It is illegal for any Jinchuuriki, that's what I am by the way, to be promoted in the Land of Fire or for any Jinchuuriki aligned with Konoha to receive a promotion. Furthermore, should a Jinchuuriki knowingly hold back any member of a clan, said Jinchuuriki will be charged with treason and imprisoned under full body restraint until said time as their Biju can be transferred to a more obedient host. _That_ meant I had to go through all those team stages, since if I cause the Teme to fail…"

The silence in the arena was so profound that Hiruzen would later swear that he had been able to hear the heartbeat of Mitarashi Anko who had been standing barely ten feet away from him, her body trembling in suppressed rage.

"Should I resign, I will also be charged with treason, blah blah blah and should I father any child, they shall be instantly removed in order to be raised in secret by a specially-selected tutor as a weapon and possible _Kekkei Genkai_ source since Bloodlimits are the result of a Jinchuuriki having a child. So, I can't quit and I can't have a family. But the last bit is the kicker. No Jinchuuriki shall, under any circumstances, be allowed any rank other than Genin and shall not be placed in charge of any group of ninja. Should a rank higher than genin be achieved by a Jinchuuriki, said Jinchuuriki shall be charged with treason and blah bah blah. Means I can't even hope to become Hokage any more.  
"Anyway, since there's no point in me continuing since I can't be promoted, I'm out of here. Teme, if you quit because of this, I'll kill you myself before they come for me."

No-one moved as Naruto vanished out of the door, then one of the other ninja raised his hand.

"Yes…?"

"I, Yakushi Kabuto, hereby remove myself from the chunin exams in protest at the treatment of our strongest asset." The silver-haired medic-nin said. As if his speech was a trigger, others quickly joined in.

"I, Hyuuga Hinata… will not compete because of what the Council did to Naruto-kun."

"I, Aburame Shino, wish to remove myself from the Chunin Exams and ask that it be noted that I am seriously reconsidering my future with the Konohagure Shinobi forces."

A brief discussion sounded, then Ino spoke up. "Team Ten removes itself from the Chunin Exams in protest at the unfair laws regarding Uzumaki."

"Those laws are most unyouthful! I shall not seek promotion whilst those laws remain in force!"

"I'm with Lee on this one. Lee, you hug me and I'll stab you!"

Soon, Hiruzen found himself staring at only six ninja, the Sand trio, Hyuuga Neji and the remaining two members of Team 7.

"Well." Kakashi said, his orange book nowhere in sight, "This is… unfortunate."

Hiruzen seemed to sag. "Very well. Anko, get their match-ups sorted. This is going to destroy Konoha's reputation. I need to get back to my office and find out what else my _former_ advisors have been doing behind my back."

.

"…and as of right now, all three of you are demoted to Genin!" Hiruzen yelled at Shimura Danzo, Ututane Koharu and Mitokado Homura. "Congratulations, you are now Team _Four_! I am certain that I can find some suicide missions for you if you even _think_ about protesting!"

The three elders stared at him, unable to move in the face of not only his Killing Intent but also that of the Monkey-King Emna who Hiruzen had summoned just prior to the meeting.

"Your first mission is to empty the cesspits near the tanneries." The Hokage growled, flinging the scroll at Koharu. "Now, GET THE HELL OUT OF MY SIGHT!"

The trio almost seemed to _Shunshin_ out of the room and Hiruzen sagged back into his chair.

"All I wanted was to keep things nice and quiet until I could hand the Hat over to someone." He moaned and Emna placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

" **There is no way that you can counter the laws?"**

"Not without sparking a civil war between the ninja and the Daimyo's Samurai. I feel certain that the other Hidden Villages would be only too happy to pile in and spark the Fourth Shinobi War if I did that."

"Sir!" The secretary shouted as she burst into the office. "The Kazekage's pulled the Suna Team out of the finals! His message said that the rules that Naruto showed his team meant that he refused to risk having his son thrown into jail by us!"

Hiruzen sagged so that his forehead rested on his desk.

"…can this day get any worse?"

"I'm afraid it can." Kakashi said from the window. "I just found out that Orochimaru managed to place one of his Curse Seals on Sasuke and a five-point seal on Naruto. I need Jiraya here as fast as possible. Oh, and Sakura's pulled out of the finals, she said she couldn't possible fight Sasuke. Looks like it's a straight-up Sasuke versus Neji fight."

A long moan was his only answer.


	6. Thief Of Konoha

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a collection of scenes that, once again, refused to gel.
> 
> In fanon, Naruto is often overcharged etc in shops, if not refused service outright. This led me to think, what would happen if Naruto decided that since the shopkeepers were stealing from him, he should steal from them in return?
> 
> And then of course, taking it up a few notches…

**Scene 1**

Naruto crept through the shadows of the Hokage Tower, his goal the large scroll that held the Jutsu he had heard about. Jutsu so awesome, so powerful, that they had to be stored where normal people wouldn't be able to find them.

He wasn't normal.

In the four years since he had been thrown out of the orphanage, Naruto had developed new skills and a set of morals that, while consistent, many would consider rather… different. Being effectively raised by the workers of the red lantern district where his (Hokage-granted) flat was, he had flourished under their tutelage. Already, he was earning money by giving prostitutes (whatever that word meant) massages to help them relax and he could do "Find the Queen" and the three-cup shuffle with the best of them.

Due to an astounding run of luck at the casino, he even held full rights to the debts owed by the last Senju (whoever that was).

And he had learned the skills of pick-pocketing and burglary.

He didn't need chakra to scale a wall and he could run across the rooftops with a skill equal to any ninja but without the need for chakra enhancement. Locks were no barrier to him and he had yet to find a trap that he couldn't analyze and disassemble within a minute (Thank you Old Man Hikaze, may you rest in peace).

But he had entered the Academy the previous year and discovered that he had too much chakra. Why else would the leaf exercise have concluded so… explosively.

That being the case, he needed to search for a Jutsu he could use. He was making progress on Henge (even though the teachers refused to show him the _proper_ handsigns) and his Kawarimi was a brute-force version (he had once swapped with a nearby _tree_ ) but there was no way on Kami's green earth that he would be able to do a normal Bunshin due to how little chakra it needed.

There had to be _something_ he could use.

.

 _The Hokage Tower has incredibly complex defenses.  
ANBU patrol its corridors while seal arrays act to detect any usage of chakra and alerts the guards.  
The locks also have seals which mean that using any of the ninja-style lock-picking skills resulted in a directed _raiton _charge._

_No ninja can get into the Hokage Tower undetected.  
In fact, there are regular missions to test the multiple layers of security, with a huge reward offered should the participant be able to penetrate them._

_There is only one weakness in the defenses, a weakness that no-one noticed._

_All the defenses are optimized against_ ninja _._

_Someone who has mastered the art of burglary without chakra can bypass them easily._

.

Naruto smirked as he unrolled the scroll. The very first jutsu was the _Kage Bunshin_ , with a warning that it had a very high Chakra cost.

Well, he had Chakra to spare.

Pulling out a small scroll and paintbrush, he took several deep breaths and then entered the light trance that a friendly forger had taught him. Without actually _reading_ what he was transcribing, he copied it flawlessly onto the smaller scroll before rolling up the larger scroll and returning it to its hiding place. Once the ink had dried, he pocketed the smaller scroll and quickly took to the air vents to escape, leaving no sign behind that he had ever been there.

Once he got back to his flat, he would read the entire description before trying out the jutsu.

And the future changed.

.

**Scene 2**

Iruka raised an eyebrow as Naruto sat with a trio leaves hovering above his forehead. Barely a year ago, the blond had been abysmal at chakra control and now he could hover up to five leaves at once, placing him ahead of everyone else.

How he had improved so fast was a mystery to Iruka, expecially since he didn't know of the hundreds of _Kage Bunshin_ that Naruto used to train in chakra control, letting him gain months of experience in less than a day.

Learning from the retired ninja who were living in the red-light area due to financial problems didn't hurt either.

Naruto hid a smirk as he felt Iruka looking at him. Between almost abusing his _Kage Bunshin_ and the external tutors he had, he was already incredibly far ahead of the rest of the students, although he refused to show it. His _Kawarimi_ was not only sealless, he'd stumbled across a way to apply it to things he was holding meaning that he no longer had to enter a building to steal things, he merely needed something to hold and an unobstructed line of sight over a long distance, or even simple proximity.

And it let him pull off some excellent pranks.

"Stop showing off, baka!" A voice screamed and Naruto rolled out of the way of the descending fist. Almost reflexively, he grabbed a leaf and an instant later, he was tucking a pair of panties into his pocket.

"Dammit, Haruna!" He yelled. "I was _practicing_! I need to practice my control!"

"Hmph." Sakura snorted as she flipped her pink hair back. "You were just trying to look better than Sasuke."

Naruto glanced across to where the aforementioned Uchiha was trying (and failing) to hover two leaves.

"As if you could be better than him." Sakura continued, then she froze as Naruto held up a very familiar pair of knickers.

"You left yourself open, Haruno." Naruto gloated as he dropped the knickers before leaping out of the way of her frenzied attack. She stomped forwards, then cried out in pain as her bare foot landed on a stone. Naruto pulled out her sandals from behind his back and dropped them.

"NARUTOOOO!" Sakura screamed in rage as the laughing blond scampered away.

.

**Scene 3**

Iruka stared in shock at the building in front of him. He had been told that Naruto had been given a flat of his own, but he had expected something that was peeling, leaking and decrepit, not a gleaming five-storey block with shops on the lowest level. Pride of place was given to Ichiraku's Ramen that had moved from it's previous place of business several months ago.

"Impressive, isn't it?" Hiruzen said from beside him, his expression unreadable. "He has his own staff."

"…what?"

"He has his own staff." Hiruzen repeated. "I had my ANBU do some research and they found out that Naruto has been living in this district since he was five. His staff consists mainly of those who used to sell their affections or of retired ninja who couldn't amass enough money from missions to retire comfortably."

Iruka blushed, earning an amused glance.

"Makes you wonder just what he's learning, doesn't it?" Hiruzen added.

.

**Scene 4**

Sasuke glared at his opponent on the other side of the ring. As it was a taijutsu match, he couldn't use his newly-perfected fireball jutsu and things like kunai and shuriken were banned.

That meant that he would have to move in close.

And Naruto would do whatever it was to steal his underwear again.

And he would sell it to the fangirls.

Again.

"I forfeit."

Naruto sighed in disappointment as Sasuke turned and walked out of the ring. The Emo was learning.

"Next opponent." Mizuki said as he pulled out a piece of paper from the box. "Hinata…? What the…?"

Naruto hid a smirk. He had placed _henged_ clones into the box, disguised as pieces of parchment. Hinata was the only girl who didn't try to belittle him and he was going to help her.

After all, he had managed to claim the rank of Rookie of the Year and all Hinata needed was a small boost to claim Kunoichi of the Year.

Hinata meekly took her position and Naruto smiled at her, causing her to blush.

"Begin!"

Naruto leapt forwards and tackled Hinata to the ground, landing so that his lips pressed against hers. Hinata promptly fainted and brief puffs of smoke indicated that his plan was working, then he was suddenly airborne as he was thrown to one side. Rolling to his feet, he dodged a series of strikes and kicks which forced him to retreat, then it was Hinata who tackled him, pinning him so that he could not move.

An " _eeep_!" indicated that she had woken, found herself in an apparently intimate position and fainted again.

"Winner, Hinata." Mizuki announced with unconcealed satisfaction and Hinata stood, offering her hand to Naruto. As he used it to pull himself to his feet, he wondered what people would say if they knew that he had had his _Kage Bunshin_ henge themselves and switch with Hinata's clothing in order to make everyone think that she could beat him and thus earn congratulations, raising her self-esteem.

Although he would have to have his clones _kawarimi_ her clothes back onto her soon.

Hmmmm.

Actually, that would be a very interesting combat tactic.

Naruto grinned. He was _so_ looking forwards to his next spar against that arrogant emo.

He was going to leave him _totally_ vulnerable to his fangirls.

.

**Scene 5**

Naruto glared at the marking on his collar which had ruined the test for him.

A Chakra disruption seal.

It had prevented him from passing the jutsu portion of the test.

And then _Mizuki_ had suggested to him that there was another way of passing by proving his ability to infiltrate the Hokage Tower and steal the Forbidden Scroll.

As if he couldn't recognize a setup when he saw one.

He had no choice. He was going to have to get the Old Man in on this.

Great.

That meant that he was going to have to reveal some of the secrets he had been hiding about the source of his wealth.

Great. Just frigging great.

Damn Mizuki.

Maybe he could distract the Old Man somewhat with questions about the seal on his stomach. The Old Lady had said that it was a storage seal of some sort, but what had been stored in it?

.

**Scene 6**

"… _you_ are the nine-tailed fox!" Mizuki finished triumphantly and Naruto laughed at him.

Mizuki froze, trying to understand why things weren't going as he had planned.

"Oh, please." Naruto scoffed. "The fox is sealed _into_ me by the _Shiki Fuin_. It's totally separate from me. I should know, the Old Man explained it to me personally."

Both Mizuki and Iruka stared at him and Naruto smirked.

"I found the seal you placed on me to disrupt my chakra, Mizuki-traitor, and now it's time for me to show you what the true rookie of the year can do."

Mizuki reached for the Fuuma Shuriken on his back, then his eyes widened as his hand encountered only empty air. Glancing round, he looked back at Naruto and gasped as he saw his weapon in Naruto's hand.

"How did you…?"

"You liked that?" Naruto smirked. "How about this. _Naked in public technique_!"

The _Kage Bunshin_ that had been stealthily swapping themselves with Mizuki's clothes all dispersed, leaving the traitor totally exposed.

"That's what you did to Sasuke during the freestyle match!" Iruka gasped and Naruto nodded.

"Yep. Time for you to go down, you bastard."

Mizuki had just enough time to close his eyes before a swarm of angry Naruto's slammed him into the forest floor.

.

**Scene 7**

Hinata looked at her two new team-mates.

When Naruto had somehow failed the exam, Sasuke had claimed the position of _Rookie of the Year_ , thus Team 7 had been slated to be her, Sasuke and Kiba.

Then Naruto had managed to get a battlefield promotion by exposing the traitor Mizuki, and had been assigned to Team 7 instead.

Ironically in the Dead Last position.

"Arrrgh!" Naruto snarled. "It's been over half an hour! Hey, Hina-chan, let's get some ramen!"

Sasuke blinked at that. "What?"

Naruto made several clones and one of them dashed out through the window. "It's obvious that our new sensei hates me, hence why he hasn't shown up, so I'm calling in a favour the Old Man owes to get a new teacher. Now, let's go. First to the Old Man, then to Ichiraku's, my treat!"

"Is there… a tomato Ramen?" Sasuke asked from his position at the back of the classroom and Naruto frowned in thought.

"I _think_ I saw one on the menu…"

"What are we waiting for?" Sasuke asked from the window.

.

Kakashi looked round at the deserted classroom, then a masked figure appeared at his side.

"Kakashi, the Hokage wants to speak to you. He has reassigned your team."

"What?!"

.

**Scene 8**

Inuzuka Tsume stared at her empty hand, completely perplexed. She had decided to try the famed Bell Test, but when she had held up the bells, they had vanished.

With a smirk on his face, Naruto pulled three bells out of his pocket (but she had only been holding _two_!) and distributed them to his team-mates under her shocked gaze.

"Wha… bu… how?" Kuromaru managed and Tsume nodded in agreement with her canine companion.

"I'm awesome like that."

Sasuke _hnn_ 'd in what sounded like reluctant agreement while Hinata seemed to be lost in a memory that was making her blush and smile at the same time.

"Well… I guess you pass." Tsume finally admitted. "We'll do our first mission tomorrow."

"Sure thing!" Naruto chirped, then he nudged Hinata to get her attention. "Hey, you able to move, or do I have to do _that_ again?"

Hinata blushed so brightly that she almost glowed while Tsume frowned in confusion.

"Don't ask." Sasuke said, shuddering in remembered terror. "Just… _don't_ ask."

Tsume decided then and there that it was time to interrogate her son about his former classmates.

.

Scene 9

Tsume stopped dead in her tracks, staring at Naruto who was examining a pair of gauntlets linked by a shuriken chain. Several of his clones had popped into existence and were sealing two piles of clothing into a scroll.

"Where did you get those from?" She asked, unsure that she actually wanted the answer. Naruto simply pointed to a puddle ahead of them where a pair of naked men were emerging, choking and spluttering.

"They were waiting to ambush us." Hinata explained as she turned her gaze away from the soaked duo. "I told Naruto-kun and he…"

"You _stole_ their stuff while we were still a hundred yards away?" Tsume choked in disbelief.

"Erm… spoils of war?"

Tsume sighed and started rummaging in her pack for the prisoner scrolls that she habitually carried.

.

Scene 10

Zabuza crashed to the ground. Picking himself up, he turned to fix a quizzical stare at the notched tree behind him, a tree that had a very serious lack of a giant sword that had created the notch.

"…the fuck?"

Tsume turned to her blond Genin.

Just as she had expected, he was examining the giant sword, ignoring the fact that it was larger than he was and he hadn't actually been anywhere near the weapon.

She still had no idea how he did it.

"How the hell did you grab my sword?" Zabuza asked and Naruto grinned.

"I'm just that awesome? Ooh, how does this look?"

A voice started swearing in the treetops as Naruto pulled out a very familiar Kiri Hunter-nin mask and put it on.

"How does anyone _see_ in these things?"

Zabuza facepalmed.

It was going to be one of _those_ missions.

"At least leave them their dignity." Sasuke sighed and Naruto giggled self-consciously.

"Um, oops?"

"What did you do?"

By way of reply, Naruto dropped a very familiar jockstrap onto the ground, followed by a lacy bra and panties. Zabuza's eyes widened.

In the trees, the swearing increased.

"…the _fuck_?"

"I don't know." Tsume mourned. "He's my genin, and I still have no idea of how he does it."

"At least give me my bloody sword and wallet back!"

"Awwwwwww!"

.

**Scene 11**

The assembled mercenaries stared in shock at their empty hands while Tsume, having worked out what had just happened (albeit still having no clue about the _how_ ), sighed in resignation.

"What the _hell_ are you doing?" A commanding voice yelled and the now-disarmed mercenaries moved aside to let the short figure of Gato through.

"Ooooh, that is one _smart_ suit." Naruto whistled as he looked up from sealing the pile of weapons by his feet.

Tsume closed her eyes in pain. She just _knew_ what was going to happen.

"Are old men's bits always that small?" Hinata asked curiously and Tsume opened her eyes just in time to see Gato realise that he was naked.

How the _hell_ did Naruto _do_ that?

.

**Scene 12**

"I, Maito Gai, nominate Team 9 for the Chunin exams!"

"I, Sarutobi Asuma. nominate Team 10 for the Chunin exams."

Yuhi Kurenai opened her mouth, but Tsume beat her to it.

"I, Inuzuka Tsume, nominate my team for the chunin exams and warn everyone to beware of naked panic as a result."

Everyone turned to stare at her and Tsume pulled out the hip flask that had become her (other) constant companion.

"…naked panic?" Hiruzen finally asked.

"One of my genin, Uzumaki Naruto, is a thief. A _damned_ good one. His shinobi skills are already better than chunin, he told me that he got lessons from a group of retired ninja who live in his building, but his _theft_ skills are like nothing I've ever seen before. He even managed to steal Kakashi's _mask_ once!"

Everyone's eyes widened in shock as Kuromaru nodded in confirmation.

"I couldn't believe it until he handed me my knickers." Tsume added, taking another swig. "The ones I had been wearing. He managed to swap them with rope."

The wide eyes widened until the assembled shinobi looked like Rock Lee's long-lost relatives.

"I… think I'll check with my team." Kurenai said.

"Me as well. Hold the nomination, will you?" Asuma said as he dashed towards the door.

"Is he really that bad?" Hiruzen sighed, but it was Gai who answered.

"He is incredibly skilled. He once managed to remove all of Tentens weapons without her knowledge, including a few hidden in her… _ahem_ , well, none of us could work out how he did it."

"I've seen him do it, and I still don't know." Tsume mourned.


	7. A Teacher's Student

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's prologue – I didn't come up with the Bloodlimit for a certain character, Lithius Osmius did with his story Shattered Eyes, FFN story number 3922662. Read it, it may be incomplete, but it's pretty darned cool.
> 
> Again, these are the scenes for a story that never made it off the runway.
> 
> Bit of a shame, as I've never seen this particular team-up done before…

**The Test**

Naruto swore as he picked himself up and rubbed at his aching ass. If that was what was going to happen each time, he needed help.

A pink flash caught his attention and he slid silently through the bushes, appearing behind Sakura.

"Hey, Sakura-cha- _ow_!"

Sakura withdrew her fist from atop his head. "What do you want, you useless idiot?"

Naruto felt his heart start to break, but with the stubbornness he was famed for, he kept going.

"Listen, I can't beat Kakashi alone, but maybe if we…"

"Hell, no." Sakura snarled. "You are _not_ going to get between me and my Sasuke-kun. Go back to the Academy and leave us _real_ ninja alone."

.

Naruto hid a grin as he saw Sasuke buried up to his neck. Walking over, he knelt down.

"Kakashi's good, but if we team up…"

"Why the hell would I want to team up with a useless loser like you?" Sasuke snarled as he struggled to free himself. Naruto stared at him, then stood up and walked away.

"Dammit. Dammit, dammit, dammit…"

.

The bell rang and Kakashi picked up the genjutsu-paralyzed Sakura and placed her by the three posts, cancelling the technique he had used on her as he did so before vanishing. A few seconds later, he returned with a dirt-covered Sasuke dangling from his grip.

"Kakashi!"

"Iruka?" Kakashi said in surprise as the scarred teacher stormed up to him. "I'm in the middle of something, can it wait?"

"Why the hell did Naruto just re-enroll for another year in the Academy?!"

Kakashi's visible eye widened. "Wait. What?"

"You heard me!" The chunin ground out, somehow managing to make the Jonin rather nervous.

"Hah! Serves the loser right. I knew he wasn't cut out to be a ninja." Sakura said, only to be cut off.

"Well, I guess you aren't either. Since Iruka-san's here, you may as well ask him for a re-enrollment form as you both failed. However, I am under orders to take on Sasuke as my apprentice even if he fails, which he did, by the way."

Sasuke growled at the revelation.

"And Naruto?" Iruka growled, causing Kakashi to sigh.

"He quit my test, that means that I'll be recommending he finds a different career. Ninja do not simply quit. His files said that he was not up to scratch, this just proves it."

"You mean _this_ file?"

Kakashi accepted the folder and leafed through the half-dozen pages. "Yep, that's the one."

"The one missing _all_ of my reports on him? The one with the _obviously faked_ grades?"

Kakashi froze. "Ummmmm…"

"You disgust me." Iruka growled as he stalked off, pausing only to half-turn. "You really, really disgust me, Kakashi. I thought you were a better person than that. After all Naruto's done for the village and the burden he carries…"

Kakashi felt about three inches tall as Iruka stormed off.

.

Hiruzen stared at the file before him, then up at the man standing in front of him.

"I always believed that you were better than you claimed, not least because of your time in ANBU, but this… Are you certain you wish for this?"

A nod was his answer and Hiruzen turned to the second man.

"It's troublesome, but he is more than good enough to be a Jonin. He passed all the tests with flying colors."

Hiruzen nodded, then picked up his pen to scrawl his signature on the final sheet.

"Very well. Congratulations on proving yourself worthy of the rank of Jonin… Umino Iruka. It will be difficult to find a replacement for you at the Academy."

"I was due to rotate through the mission desk anyway." Iruka shrugged. "Besides, I haven't had a real chance to cut loose with my _Hyakurai_. Naruto-kun keeps getting into bizarre scrapes, so I'm sure that _something_ will come up."

.

**Apprenticeship**

"Naaaarrruuuuutoooooooooo."

Naruto rolled over in his bed.

"Waaaake u-uuuuup."

Naruto snuggled against his pillow, ignoring the gentle voice.

"UZUMAKI!"

Naruto snapped from sleep to fully awake at a speed that any Jonin would have envied, leaping from his bed as he did so.

"Aaaaah! Iruka-sensei! My alarm clock didn't go off! I'm late! I'm… I'm… not due at the Academy until next week. What's going on?"

"I got promoted to Jonin." Iruka said, then he found himself being hugged with a force that made his ribs creak.

"Wow! Jonin! Wait, that means… you won't be at the Academy…"

"Neither will you." Iruka said and Naruto froze. "Now, get dressed and we'll begin testing you. I refuse to let my apprentice continue to lag behind, especially after he showed me that he could learn a kinjutsu in a matter of hours.

Naruto froze. "…apprentice…?"

"Yes, you idiot." Iruka smiled, ruffling Naruto's hair. "That's why I got my promotion. I know you have potential, and I'm going to turn you into a _proper_ ninja. Now, get washed and dressed while I fix breakfast, then we'll get your ID picture and start seeing where you _really_ are and what you need to learn."

.

Iruka cradled his head in his hands as Naruto watched him worriedly.

"Naruto, I'm _sorry_." Iruka finally said. "I failed you, I should have noticed…"

Naruto sighed. "Nah, it was the other teachers that screwed with my learning. Had to work most of it out myself. Didn't even realize my _Henge_ wasn't the same as everyone else's until a month or so before my last exam. No-one told me."

Iruka nodded and leaned back in his chair, eyes closed in thought. After a few minutes, he nodded.

"Naruto, we'll forget about the leaf exercise for now. With your chakra level, it's worse than useless. Instead, we'll do tree-walking and water-walking to start with. Your taijutsu is…"

"Awful." Naruto supplied and Iruka nodded.

"Yeah, but I know someone who can help. He can train you in the mornings, it'll also get your fitness levels up. We can use your clones to help you learn to read properly at the same time…"

"What? How?"

Iruka looked at Naruto for a long moment. "The _Kage Bunshin_ means that whatever the clone learns, the user earns when the clone dispells. We'll need to test to see how many you can dispell safely, but we can use it to really help you mentally. I _know_ you're intelligent, some of those pranks you pulled were genius-level, and I speak as a former prankster myself."

"So… you're going to teach me to be awesome?"

Iruka shook his head and Naruto's eyes widened.

"No, I'm going to teach you to be so good, that awesome won't even _begin_ to describe you- _ooof_!"

Naruto's glomp knocked Iruka and the chair he was sitting in onto the floor.

.

**Training**

Hinata's eyes widened as she saw the two figures enter the training field.

The taller figure was Umino Iruka, her former teacher at the Academy, but he was not in his usual outfit. Instead, he was wearing black sandals and trousers with his Hitai-ate serving as his belt, a black sleeveless T-shirt and a long, sleeveless high-collared [silvery Haori](https://www.deviantart.com/honorablebaldy/art/Umino-Battle-Coat-453222255) (with attached pauldrons) that reached down to his knees. Silver greaves protected his shins while fingerless gauntlets adorned his arms. When he paused and turned to look round, it revealed a symbol on his back that Hinata had never seen before, but which looked like the Kiri symbol bisected by a stylized bolt of lightning.

The other figure, though, was the one that caused her breath to catch in her throat. The blonde was clad almost identically to Iruka with only the colors and symbols being different. Where Iruka's outfit was silver, Naruto's was rusty orange with a black spiral set into a white circle as his symbol.

"Kamis above!" Kurenai breathed in shock. "That outfit… It's the Lightning Rat!"

"What?" Kiba asked and Kurenai shook her head.

"The _Zi no Rai_ … an ANBU who was able to manipulate lightning without needing hand-seals… we all thought that he was an Uchiha since he vanished just before the clan was wiped out…"

Iruka spotted them and waved, as did Naruto.

Hinata _eep_ 'd.

.

"Good." Iruka said as Naruto dispelled the last of the fifty clones that had been practicing water-walking. "Now…"

"Iruka? What are you doing dressed like that?"

Iruka froze, then turned to see Kakashi and Sasuke staring at them.

"Kakashi."

Kakashi walked over and slowly circled Iruka, then he nodded.

"It _is_ you. Why didn't you tell me?"

"It wasn't important." Iruka shrugged, earning a confused look from both genin. An instant later, he grinned. "Okay, since you're here, let's test out our genin. A simple race, to the tree on the far side of the lake and back. Agreed?"

Kakashi shrugged and Iruka pointed at the ground. A thin tendril of lightning scorched a line in the dirt and Iruka motioned for the two students to get ready.

"Using whatever you've learned, run to the tree and back." He said. "Winner gets bragging rights."

Sasuke snorted even as Naruto's eyes widened.

He'd just finished learning water-walking…

"Go!"

Sasuke shot off, his path curving to run along the very edge of the lake, then motion caught his eye. Glancing sideways, he lost control and tripped, skidding across the ground, although his gaze never left Naruto, who was dashing across the lake as if it were a solid surface.

"Impressive." Kakashi allowed. "Only two weeks, and already water-walking."

Sasuke pulled himself up onto his knees and stared in shocked envy at Naruto, who had reached the tree and was on his way back.

"Winner, Naruto." Iruka declared as Sasuke finally made it to his feet and stormed over.

"You cheated!"

"No such thing." Kakashi said and Sasuke looked at him as if Kakashi had personally betrayed him. "We're ninja, we can do anything we're not specifically banned from. Iruka-san never forbade running across the lake…"

Iruka smirked.

.

**Mission**

Asuma glanced at his fellow Jonin-sensei as their combined group walked through the gates of Konoha.

Although Iruka's promotion to Jonin had come as a surprise to many, the revelation that he had been the _Zi no Rai_ had caused many people to re-evaluate him. His choice of apprentice (and Asuma smirked at the sight of Ino starting to drool over Naruto before forcibly re-focusing on the mission) had come as even more of a shock, but those who had seen the duo in action agreed that Naruto was probably at solid-chunin level already.

And his reputation as a miracle-worker had been cemented when he managed to get Naruto out of the day-glow _here-I-am-kill-me-now_ orange outfits he had worn. Although the orange was still there, it looked…

"Dammit, Naruto!" Ino half-shouted as she forced herself to turn away from her fellow genin. "Stop making me want to give up on Sasuke-kun!"

Asuma smirked.

.

"Ninja. Two of them."

Asuma nodded. Although he had never been in ANBU himself, he had heard the tales. If the _Zi no Rai_ said that someone was there, then they were there.

No ninja had ever managed to cloak their own bio-electrical field, after all.

"Options?"

"Capture and question." Iruka stated. "I'll take them down as we pass."

Asuma nodded again, then hid a snort as a puddle came into view.

"Amateurs." Iruka said, electricity started to spark around his hand.

.

"…and I can't take all of you."

Asuma sighed. "Dammit. Any ideas?"

"Naruto, you're walking." Iruka said, earning a surprised look from almost everyone except Naruto, who gave a very dramatic sigh. "Ino, get on his back, he's carrying you. That should let the rest of us ride the boat."

Ino gave Asuma a pleading look.

"You sure about this?"

"Naruto has more chakra than the Hokage."

Asuma whistled. With that much chakra, there was no way that Naruto could be anything other than a monster when it came to stamina and general energeticness.

"Ino, get on his back. Try practicing your sensory techniques as we go."

Ino sighed and placed her hands on Naruto's shoulders, using them to help her leap onto his backand wrap her legs around him.

"You'd better not touch my butt." She warned.

.

"Eight choices. Liver, lungs, spine, clavicle vein, jugular vein, brain, kidneys, heart. Which one should I go after?"

"I got this." Iruka said as he vanished into the thick mist. Asuma shook his head.

"Hey, Naruto, you know the _Great Breakthrough_? Excellent, back-to-back and let's clear the air."

Asuma flashed through the hand-signs, feeling Naruto doing the same and the two of them released the jutsu at the same instant, blasting the mist away and revealing Iruka and Zabuza facing each other on the lake.

Zabuza's eyes widened.

"Where the hell did you get an Umino Battle-coat from? And how did you get matching gauntlets?"

"I inherited them." Iruka said and Zabuza froze, looking down at the lake, then at the giant sword he was holding.

"You… you're kidding…"

Iruka's hands were suddenly wreathed in lightning and Zabuza swallowed.

"Oh fuck."


	8. The Ultimate Technique

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A very short sequence for an idea so cracked that I have no clue what caused it or how in blazes to use it

Naruto stared in shock at the two ninja, then a slow grin spread across his face. Although he was going to graduate next week (assuming they didn't test his Bunshin again, dammit), a technique like _that_ would be a godsend.

Rising from his hiding place in the bush, he caught the attention of the Jonin-sensei and his student.

"Can you teach me that, please?"

.

"… _YOU_ are the nine-tailed fox!"

Naruto stared at the silver-haired chunin even as Iruka pulled himself up against a tree.

"Mizuki, you traitor! Don't listen to him, Naruto! It's sealed into you, but you aren't the fox! Remember the lesson about sealing scrolls?"

Naruto nodded, then hid a grin as he realised that he was in the perfect position to use his penultimate technique. Although part of him wanted to simply create a thousand clones and pummel Mizuki into oblivion, he would instead use the skill that he had been taught.

"Are you sure, Iruka-sensei?" He asked, trying to sound doubtful and Iruka nodded.

"I am, Naruto."

"Iruka-sensei!"

Mizuki blinked in confusion even as Iruka responded with a bemused "Naruto?"

"IRUKA-SENSEI!" Naruto shouted, wrapping his arms around Iruka…

…And Mizuki fell off the branch screaming in horror as the world around him turned into the _Genjutsu Of Youthful Exuberance_.

"What… the… _heck_?" Iruka gasped as the image of the seaside sunset faded from around them, leaving Mizuki curled up in a shuddering ball on the ground. " _That_ was in the scroll?"

"Nope." Naruto snickered. "Gai-sensei said he was impressed by how I managed to keep going through a normal warm-up and he taught me. Hey, let's get you to the hospital. _Kage Bunshin no Jutsu_!"

A dozen clones popped into existence and half of them moved to secure the shivering traitor. Iruka stared at them.

"Well, I think that given you took down a traitor, mastered an advanced _Bunshin_ and showed you can perform at least one _Genjutsu_ , you pass. Well done, Genin Naruto."

"Really?" Naruto gasped. "I'm a Genin! Yatta!"

* * *

.

**The Test**

"…and you have until the alarm rings to take these two bells from me." Kakashi said. "Remember to come at me with the intent to kill."

The three genin glanced at each other and Naruto grinned as he prepared to make clones.

"Go!" Kakashi snapped. Sasuke and Sakura both vanished into the undergrowth while Naruto was engulfed in a cloud of smoke that dissipated to reveal a dozen of him, all spreading out in pairs to surround Kakashi.

"Nice trick." Kakashi allowed. "But it won't help."

"Sure it will!" One of the clones shouted. "You can't defeat me, We're Naruto!"

"Naruto!" Naruto!" Naruto!"

In a move that caught Kakashi totally by surprise, the pairs of clones turned to embrace each other…

…and the world suddenly turned into the _Sunset Genjutsu_.

Kakashi froze, wanting to look away, but the clones were all around him and no matter which way he looked, the glory f the Youthful Sunset was inescapable, continuing for longer than even his Eternal Rival could hold it…

.

"…and that's what happened." Naruto finished, looking embarrassed.

Hiruzen managed not to facepalm as the story ended, but it took all his self-control not to.

"How are they doing?"

"Kakashi will be out of hospital in three days." The Hokage replied, glancing at the report on his desk. "Sakura collapsed from chakra exhaustion after trying to dispell it four times, so she'll be out in about five days, although it would seem that she really needs to work on her reserves. Perhaps medical training would help"

"And the Teme?"

"Two weeks." Hiruzen sighed. "Your trick forcibly activated his _Sharingan_ , right up to the _Mangekyo_ level. Once he's out, he'll need one-on-one teaching to learn to cope with it."

Naruto seemed to wilt. "I… failed?"

"No." A scarred man said as he stepped out of the shadowed corner that had concealed him. "You are coming with me, apprentice. Your little trick could be what we need for breaking the toughest prisoners."

"Who… who are you?" Naruto managed and the man smirked, the scars making it look even more fearsome.

"I am Morino Ibiki."

* * *

.

**Apprenticeships**

Sasuke stared in shock in the mirror. His last memory before he had collapsed had been watching multiple Naruto's embracing and somehow creating the background of a sunset on a rocky beach, then he had collapsed.

"Ah, Sasuke." Kakashi said from the doorway. "Good to see that you're finally awake again."

"My eyes…" Sasuke said, glancing again into the mirror to meet the gaze of his black eyes with the three overlapping red ellipses. "How?"

"Naruto's trick." Kakashi said, briefly raising his angled forehead protector to show that he had a Sharingan that looked like a three-pointed scythe-shuriken. "The sheer power of his illusion forced mine to fully evolve as well."

Sasuke blinked. " _Fully_ evolve?"

Kakashi nodded as he lowered his Hitai-ate back down. "I have been tasked with teaching you how to use your… _Eternal Mangekyo_."

Sasuke grinned. At last, he had the weapon that would allow him to defeat his brother!

And it was all thanks to Naruto.

Sasuke made a mental note that he now owed the Blond Idiot hugely, although he would never admit it anywhere that anyone could overhear him.

Maybe he could use his status to help boost Naruto into becoming Hokage when he was old enough.

It was worth keeping in mind. That trick would be invaluable when he finally got around to repopulating his clan. The greatest power without any sacrifice of friends or family.

Yes, keeping close to Naruto would be a good idea.

.

Sakura sat at the table, ignoring her parents bustling around.

Her long talk with the Hokage had been… _enlightening_ , and not in a good way. He had taken her every past action and disassembled it to show why she hadn't understood what being a Ninja truly meant.

He had apparently changed the curriculum after the farce of Team 7's genin test to place more emphasis on the physical aspects. Had the Academy tested her on the newer program, the only Kunoichi of her class who could have passed would have been Hyuuga Hinata.

"Hey, you Sakura?"

Sakura looked round at the person who had barged in and promptly simultaneously paled and blushed at the sight of the kunoichi dressed in sandals, miniskirt, mesh armor, trench-coat and virtually nothing else.

"Yes?"

"Blondie asked for a favor." The woman said. "He felt sorry about accidentally stopping you becoming a Shinobi, so you're gonna get special training to bring you up to speed. I'll be in charge of your physical development, you'll also get training in other things such as basic Iryonin training and weapons-work. I've seen your records and while you _suck_ at the moment, Blondie thinks you could be great."

Sakura felt her emotions churn and flow inside her.

The boy she had thought of as an annoying brat who would only slow her down in her pursuit of Sasuke was the one who was trying his hardest to help her become better while the Uchiha had simply dropped her like she was a piece of dung.

"All right." She said, surprising herself as she stood up. "I'll do it."

"That's the spirit!" The scantily-clad woman smirked. "We'll get you up to proper shinobi levels. Now come on, let's get started."

Sakura nodded. "Yes, but… who _are_ you?"

"Name's Mitarashi Anko, Special Jonin, and your team-mate is my boss's newest apprentice."

.

Yamanaka Inoichi collapsed beside his two oldest friends.

"How the hell does he do that?" he half-gasped, half-whispered as around them, hordes of energetic blondes ran up and down trees, fought atop the stream and performed a dozen other chakra exercises. "This is all your fault, you know."

"Troublesome." Shikaku sighed. "I should never have explained the memory aspect of the _Kage Bunshin_."

.

Naruto glanced at the Ino-Shika-Cho team as he continued to train with his clones. Today was his mandated training day as decreed by Ibiki-Sensei and quite a few of the T&I staff had taken it upon themselves to help him as an unofficial reward for how quickly he could break the prisoners simply by using the _Sunset Genjutsu_.

Inoichi had helped him with the basic training that no-one had ever explained properly to him at the Academy, training that had been enhanced beyond all comparison by Shikaku's comment about memory-transfer. Even now, a dozen of his clones were learning how to read _properly_ under Yugao-Sempai's stern but benevolent gaze.

Occasionally, he would even spar with Anko's new trainee, Sakura, who had taken to using medical techniques in combat with terrifying glee. Combined with her _genjutsu_ skills, she was getting harder to beat, even with his _Clone Tsunami_ technique.

Naruto returned his attention to training. If he was good enough, Ibiki-Sensei might give him a smile of approval again!

* * *

.

**Wave Mission**

Hiruzen raised an eyebrow at the tall man standing in front of him.

"I'm sorry…" He finally said. "I must have mis-heard that."

"You didn't, Hokage-sama." Ibiki said. "I've been overseeing Naruto's training for almost three months, during which time he's used that technique of his to clear the backlog of prisoners out. Anko reports that her apprentice has shaped up, so I wish to take them both out of Konoha on a C-rank mission to see how they've truly progressed."

Hiruzen leaned back in his chair and steepled his fingers as he considered Ibiki's request.

"Very well." He finally said. "There is a mission available, escorting a bridge-builder to Wave. However, it occurs to me that your apprentice will need another team-mate once the chunin exams arrive."

Ibiki blinked and Hiruzen hid a smirk at the proof that he had out-thought the head of T&I.

"Another, Hokage-sama?"

"I assume he's trained with Anko's apprentice, yes?"

Ibiki nodded slowly and Hiruzen continued.

"Then he will need a third for the team and who better than a lone genin with the most powerful _dojutsu_ in the village."

"You're putting Team 7 back together." Ibiki realized and Hiruzen nodded.

"For this mission, Kakashi will back you up since you have two genin to his one." Hiruzen said. "Try not to screw with their minds too much."

"No promises." Ibiki smirked as he stepped back into the shadows and vanished.

"I really need to get him to tell me how he does that." Hiruzen sighed, looking at the now-empty corner.

.

Sasuke stared in shock at the group waiting for him at the entrance. The old man was obviously the client, Tazuna, and he vaguely recognized the bandana-wearing man as someone Kakashi had been talking to before one of his training sessions, but the other two…

Naruto and Sakura, but totally different from how they had been.

Sakura had ditched her dress and pulled her hair back into a ponytail, her Hitai-ate covering her forehead. She wore reinforced boots, mesh armour, black knee-length shorts and a tight black T-shirt that showed most of her mesh-covered stomach, all underneath a tan-colored trenchcoat that went down to her knees. Although she would have looked ridiculous in the outfit back at the Academy, her stance and lean build almost screamed _predator_ at him.

Naruto was also wearing a trenchcoat, but his was black, like the one the Bandana-man was wearing. Under it he wore a rust-orange T-shirt, black shinobi pants with the legs bandaged and black sandals. His Hitai-ate served as a belt-buckle and his hair was starting to be pulled down out of its usual spikes by its own weight.

"Ibiki-san." Kakashi said from behind him and Sasuke managed to not jump at his Sensei's annoying ability to appear out of nowhere.

"Kakashi." Ibiki replied in a gravelly voice. "On time for once."

Sasuke's eyes widened as Kakashi didn't respond, but simply strolled past Sasuke to join the party.

"Well." He said. "Shall we go?"

.

.

"What. The. Hell?!" Sasuke gasped in shock.

In front of him, the two shinobi who had leapt out of the puddle and tried to charge them writhed as Naruto finished binding them while Sakura stood guard, her hands filled with senbon showing the discolorations of various poisons, several of which she had used to help disable them.

"Prisoners ready for interrogation, Ibiki-sensei!" He reported and the prisoners stiffened.

"Ibiki?" One of them whispered and Ibiki walked over, his scarred face set in a terrifying smirk.

"I am Morino Ibiki. The two who have captured you are my apprentice and the apprentice of Mitarashi Anko. Behind me are Sharingan Kakashi and _his_ apprentice. I think you have something you wish to tell me, right?"

Both ninja nodded so fast that Sasuke half-expected their heads to fall off.

"What the hell?" He asked again.

How had those two got so strong?

.

.

"Oh fuck." The man on the sword said in a casual tone of voice as he turned to face them.

"Zabuza." Ibiki said politely.

The nuke-nin coughed a couple of times. "Ummmm, you still holding a grudge over Burning Elms?"

Ibiki didn't reply, but Zabuza seemed to pale.

"This is not good."

"Sensei, you met him before?" Naruto asked and Zabuza turned almost white.

"Sensei?!" He shouted. "Shit! _You're_ his apprentice?! You're the _Hakai sa reta kibō no bīsuto_?"

"They still call me that?" Naruto asked and Zabuza glanced at the rest of the party.

"…oh crap." He whispered. "Sharingan Kakashi as well?"

"With my apprentice." Kakashi said, tilting his head towards Sasuke.

Zabuza swallowed and his fingers twitched, then he frowned and his fingers twitched again.

"What the…?"

"Sensei, I caught his helper!" Naruto's voice came from the bushes by the path and Zabuza blinked, then managed to pale even further as the Naruto beside Ibiki vanished in a puff of smoke, only for four more to emerge, carrying a trussed-up hunter-nin.

"Good work, Naruto." Ibiki said.

"Meh, I just ambushed him." Naruto shrugged. " _You_ 're the one who spotted him, I didn't even realize he was in the area until you pointed him out. I'm going to need more training when we get back."

Sasuke shook his head in disbelief. When had Ibiki told Naruto about the watcher?

Zabuza crashed out of the tree, a line of senbon in his back and Sasuke turned to look at Sakura, only for her to vanish in a cloud of smoke as well.

"Sakura knows Kage Bunshin?" He asked.

"Nope." Sakura chirped as she strode up from behind Zabuza. "But Naruto-kun knows it, _Henge_ and _Kawarimi_."

Sasuke's eyes widened in belated realization.

.

.

Ibiki unrolled the scroll and unsealed Gato's body from within it.

"So _that's_ where you two went last night!" Naruto gasped. "Did you grab his loot as well?"

"We did." Ibiki stated. "Half for Wave, half for Konoha. Agreed?"

In the corner, Tazuna nodded jerkily, then took a huge swig of Sake to try and calm his nerves.

.

.

"Man, what a dud." Naruto groaned as they re-entered Konoha. "I didn't get a chance to use my favorite technique even _once_ during that mission."

"I didn't get to torture anyone either." Sakura grumped. "I mean, we caught _four_ missing nins and they all pretty much talked immediately?"

Sasuke shook his head.

Just what the _hell_ had those two been learning.

Thank goodness it was over with, they were freaking him out.

"I'm so glad you three worked together so well." Kakashi said with his eye-smile. "I was worried about teaming Sasuke-kun up with you, but I think you'll do _brilliantly_ together in the Chunin exams."

As Sasuke collapsed, he had one final thought before the blackness took him.

Keeping close to Naruto was _not_ a good idea.


	9. Metal Maelstrom

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one-shot was inspired by a DS9 marathon followed by the film Terminator 2.  
> The basic idea amused me, but I have no clue where or how to go with this.

Naruto grumped as he crawled through the bushes at the base of the Hokage monument, searching for a spot out of the cold drizzling rain.

He growled as he thought about the bully who had destroyed his room and the matron who had blamed him and thrown him out.

How was a six-year-old meant to…

Naruto's thoughts cut off as he found himself looking at a small cave one barely waist high to him, but it was shelter and without hesitation, he wriggled into it.

The inside of the cave seemed very smooth. A ninja would have recognized it immediately as artificial, the walls and roof formed by _Doton_ techniques.

A _paranoid_ ninja would have noticed the security seals.

A _prepared_ ninja would have anchored a rope to one of the trees outside and had team-mates ready to pull him out at an instant's notice.

Naruto wasn't a ninja, despite his desire to be one.

As such, it was a total shock to him when the ground beneath him suddenly opened, dropping him down a long chute and into a large vat, half-filled with unidentifiable bubbling liquids and fragments of chakra metal.

Fortunately for Naruto, being bounced off the sides of the chute sent him into unconsciousness and thus he felt no pain as his body began to dissolve.

.

Naruto blinked and sat up, looking round him in confusion. Although the room was dark, he could see everything clearly. The room was filled with equipment he had never come across before, but it was all covered in a thick layer of dust and spider webs.

Pulling himself to his feet, Naruto looked down and frowned. Although he had been lying on the floor, there was no dust in a circular area around the spot he had been lying, although there were a couple of small puddles of an odd liquid.

And he seemed to be missing his clothes.

Shrugging, Naruto made his way to the metal door at the far end of the room. Reaching out, he pushed against it, then he grabbed the snake-shaped handle and pulled.

Stepping back, he took another look, then crouched. There was a small gap between the bottom of the door and the floor and to his young mind, any gap was a possible way through. Lying down, he lowered his head and pushed against the gap.

For a long moment, nothing happened, then he felt himself _flatten_ and _stretch_ in a way that he couldn't explain. The feeling traveled down his body and when he rolled over, it was to find himself on the other side of the door.

"Huh. Cool." Naruto said after a long introspective moment. Standing up, he paused, looking at the trio of Kunai that had suddenly _thunk_ ed into his chest. Reaching up, he tapped them, marveling at how they were vanishing into his body. As his skin rippled back to smoothness, Naruto restarted his journey, puzzling over why he suddenly felt as if he'd eaten a snack or something.

And why his thoughts were flowing easier than before.

.

Naruto stepped out of the underground complex, having managed to find some new clothes in one of the rooms. Although the trousers and the sleeves of his new jacket had needed to be shortened by means of his kunai (and how he managed to extend one from his palm, he didn't know, but it was _cool_ ), he actually had clothes that didn't have holes in them or dirt and stains so ingrained that the original colour couldn't be seen.

He'd also absorbed another dozen kunai and a box of Senbon.

Blinking against the bright sun, Naruto looked round, then at the door behind him as it swung closed. Pushing against it, he smirked as the concealed door re-opened and then he let it close again.

It was a secret place and now it was _his_ secret place.

"Uzumaki-san!"

Naruto spun round as a masked individual with silver hair landed just in front of him.

" _There_ you are." The ANBU said in a relieved voice. "The Hokage was worried about you."

Naruto blinked. "Who?"

.

Naruto smiled as he looked round. He would never have to go back to the Orphanage, he had his own apartment!

His own apartment _and_ his own secret hideout for storing all his cool ninja stuff in!

Life was looking up.

.

Graduation

"You fail."

Iruka tried to remain professional as Naruto sagged in disappointment.

"But… Iruka-sensei…"

"I know." Iruka sighed. "Naruto, apart from your problem with the _Bunshin_ , you're one of the best students in the Academy…"

Naruto nodded, keeping quiet (once again) about the veritable library of research materials (including advanced chakra-control exercises) that resided in his secret base.

Yet he _still_ overpowered his _Bunshin_ s.

"…but the _Bunshin_ is a required technique. Until you can perform it…"

"I get it, Iruka-sensei." Naruto sighed. "More chakra-control exercises."

.

"You know, there's another way to graduate."

Naruto blinked, then looked round to where Mizuki was standing.

"It seems a real shame to have you fail again when you could be doing so much as a ninja." Mizuki continued. "Given how you're equal first overall, except for the _Bunshin_ , I secured permission to give you the alternate test."

Naruto raised a querying eyebrow.

"I have placed this scroll in the Hokage's tower." Mizuki said, handing over a picture of the scroll in question. "All you have to do is infiltrate the tower and retrieve the scroll. Reaching the rendez-vous point with it will secure your graduation as Genin, but there is a time limit involved."

Naruto grinned.

.

The Scroll

The inside of the Hokage Tower was silent, until the cover popped off an air-vent. The hand-sized piece of metal dropped towards the floor, only to be caught by a metallic tendril that lashed out for the vent. The tentacle retracted, angling the cover so that it cold be drawn into the vent itself, then the tendril extended once again, its end swelling into a sphere that formed into an eye that looked round, finally focusing on the large scroll in a glass display case.

A noise caused the tendril to retract flush with the ceiling, changing to form a copy of the cover even as the door opened. Sarutobi Hiruzen walked in, grumbling to himself and collected several sheets of paper from his desk before turning round, then pausing for a moment before shrugging and leaving. Several more minutes passed before the vent cover reverted and flowed down in a long stream of metal that shifted and warped until Naruto was stood before the scroll.

"Let's see if this works." Naruto whispered, pushing one hand against the bottom of the display case. His hand flattened and slid through the small gap at the bottom of the case before spreading out into a puddle of metal with a raised pattern on it.

"Seal!"

The scroll vanished in a puff of smoke and Naruto smirked as he reclaimed his hand. Stepping back underneath the vent, Naruto seemed to melt before leaping back into the vent, pausing only to replace the cover, leaving no sign that he had been there.

A few minutes passed, then the door opened again and Hiruzen walked in, moving to the filing cabinets. Opening one of the drawers, he glanced up and froze, staring in horror at the empty display case.

.

Naruto looked round the clearing, then sighed.

"Heh, five hours to go. Well, let's see if there's anything in this scroll.

Holding out his hands, Naruto caused the Scroll to reappear and unrolled the start of it.

" _Kage Bunshin_? How does this differ from the original… oh, _cool_! Oh, and linked Jutsu as well… _exploding_ clones!"

Naruto settled down and started to read the instructions with an almost gleeful intensity.

.

The hissing of metal going through the air at high speed was his only warning and Naruto looked up just in time for a Fuma Shuriken to pin him through the heart to the tree he was leaning against.

Mizuki landed in front of him and chuckled as he reached for the scroll at Naruto's feet.

"That was too damned easy. I killed the demon and got the scroll for Orochimaru. Soon, power will be mine!"

As Mizuki reached for the scroll, it vanished in a cloud of smoke.

"What?"

"You think I'm a demon, huh?" Naruto asked and Mizuki turned white.

"You… how are you still alive?"

"I know about the Kyuubi." Naruto shrugged as he stepped sideways, his skin and clothes rippling and flowing to leave the shuriken embedded in the tree. "I know about my parents too. They were in one of the files I found in my secret base. I'm the son of Namikaze Minato and Uzumaki Kushina."

Mizuki stared at him and Naruto smirked.

"Of course, I think that you now know too much, traitor. Goodbye."

A trio of Kunai erupted from Naruto's hand and slammed into the shocked Chunin. Even as the impact knocked him backwards, the kunai exploded, killing him. Naruto stared at the mangled corpse for a moment.

"Dammit." He muttered. "I kill a traitor and if I tell anyone, _I'm_ the one who'll be accused of a crime. Damn you, Mizuki."

"Actually, I arrived just in time to hear what was going on." A new voice said and Naruto blinked as Hiruzen stepped out from behind a tree. "Do you still have the scroll?"

"Storage seal on my sandal." Naruto shrugged as the Scroll appeared in a burst of chakra smoke. "Figured that no-one looks at footwear."

"Very true." Hiruzen said, glancing at the body of the traitorous chunin. "How did you do that?"

"Exploding clone henged as a Kunai." Naruto explained and Hiruzen whistled.

"Well, I would be a fool not to allow you to pass after this." The Hokage finally said. "ANBU! Dispose of this… _trash_. Naruto, show me this secret base."

Naruto sagged. "But… It's _my_ secret base!"

Hiruzen shook his head. "Naruto…"

"Fine." Naruto grumped.

.

The Test

Kakashi sighed as he stared at the lone genin who hadn't vanished into the bushes.

"Any reason that you decided not to hide?"

Naruto grinned as he strolled forwards. "Well, I just thought I'd use something that I've never shown anyone before. My _Kekkei Genkai_."

"Wait." Kakashi said slowly. " _You_ … have a bloodlimit?"

Naruto nodded. "Yes."

"Chakra chains." Kakashi deduced and Naruto shook his head.

"Nope. What makes you think that?"

Kakashi blinked. "Than… what?"

Naruto smirked, then lunged forwards. In a reflex move, Kakashi thrust out his hand to stop him…  
…and it went _straight through_ Naruto!

"Gotcha." Naruto laughed as his right arm seemed to erupt into metal tendrils that snagged the bells from Kakashi's belt even as Kakashi tried to pull his arm out of Naruto's torso. The tendrils vanished, as did the pressure holding Kakashi's hand in place and the Jonin staggered backwards.

"What the _hell_?!"

"Give me the bells!" Sasuke shouted as he leapt out of the bushes, hands flickering as he prepared his technique. An instant later, Naruto was engulfed in a fireball which faded to reveal…

A small puddle of metal in the middle of a scorched circle of grass.

Kakashi turned to transfix Sasuke with a fierce glare. "Do you know what you just… what the _hell_?!"

Sasuke's jaw dropped as the puddle of metal suddenly extended upwards and then bulged outwards, turning back into Naruto.

"That wasn't nice, _teme_." He growled. "Just for that, _this_ bell is going to Sakura."

Sasuke stared at him in shock, jaw slack with disbelief.

"What the _hell_?!" Kakashi asked for the third time.

.

"Team 7… I don't know."

The office fell silent as everyone turned to stare at Kakashi, who gave an embarrassed shrug.

"Really. I don't know. Naruto has a really weird bloodlimit that lets him turn into liquid metal and he used it to get the bells from me. Sasuke hit him with a fireball in an attempt to claim one of the bells, but it didn't affect him and he gave the second bell to Sakura just before the alarm went off, then pulled her out of the way of a kunai barrage from Sasuke. I can't take Sasuke because he tried to kill or injure both team-mates, but…"

Hiruzen stared at him. "Liquid metal?"

"I've never seen anything like it before." Kakashi confirmed. "I'm not sure what to do about it."

.

"…So, welcome to your first training… session?"

Kakashi stared as Sakura walked back down the side of the tree and nodded to Naruto, who smiled back at her.

"Erm…"

"We didn't see any reason to waste time, so when you didn't show up, Naruto-kun offered to show me some chakra-control exercises." Sakura explained.

"She got it right first time." Naruto shrugged. "We'll start water-walking tomorrow."

"…oh." Kakashi managed. "That's… good."

.

Wave

The puddle erupted as the ninja duo burst into action, wrapping the shuriken chain around Kakashi and tightening it to slice through him. Even as the chain tightened, though, Naruto and Sakura were moving.

Kakashi watched in shock from the edge of the forest as Naruto seemed to melt into a spray of metal that wrapped around Sakura, reforming into armor in less than a second. The Demon Brothers screeched to a halt at the new and unexpected threat and Sakura squared off against them, her Naruto-armor forming blades on her arms and six blade-tipped tentacles extending from her back-plate.

"What the…" The larger of the two attacking ninjas managed to ask before a single senbon nailed him between the eyes. A second senbon hit the other ninja at the same instant and both of them collapsed, although their continued breathing showed that they were still alive.

"What the hell?" Kakashi mumbled to himself. "When could they do _that_?"

Naruto re-formed as Sakura stepped towards the two ninja.

"Here." She said, pulling out the senbon and passing them to Naruto. "Good work on the paralytic. Sensei, you can come out now!"

Kakashi glanced to where the shattered log lay on the road, the genjutsu having worn off, then stepped out of the underbrush.

"Good work." He smiled. "But… when did you learn to do _that_?"

.

"Down!" Kakashi yelled as he grabbed Tazuna and dropped to the floor. Instead of following his order, Naruto instead turned into Sakura's armor and she caught the flying sword.

"What the _fuck_?"

Kakashi rose to his feet, looking first at the blade that Sakura was experimentally swinging, then at the surrounding forest.

"Momochi Zabuza, I assume."

"Yeah." Said the man in question as he dropped out of the trees, staring at Sakura. "Kakashi… _how_?"

"Really weird bloodlimit." Kakashi sighed. "So, you after the old man?"

"Hey!" Tazuna protested and Zabuza nodded, still staring at Sakura.

"Yeah… look, can I have my sword back?"

" **No.** "

"Give me my sword back!"

" **No.** "

A pair of senbon bounced off Sakura's neck and she turned to look at where they had been thrown from, raising her arm, which swelled out to form six tubes.

"Sakura…" Kakashi started, then a veritable barrage of kunai erupted from the tubes, kunai that exploded in the trees, sending a masked figure to the ground.

"Haku!" Zabuza shouted, lunging forwards, then he collapsed as a trio of senbon hit him.

"Well." Kakashi sighed, looking down at the unconscious ninja. "That was… unexpected. How did you do that?"

Naruto finished reforming, the zanbatou still in his hand and a grin on his face. "Oh, I've learned how to make my _Kage Kunai Bunshin_ into explosive _Kage Kunai Bunshin_."

"Oh crap." Kakashi whispered, looking at the smoking debris that had once been a section of forest.

.

The Report

"So, let me see if I have this right." Hiruzen finally said. "Naruto can turn himself into armor for Sakura and between them, they captured the Demon Brothers, the Bloody Demon of the Mist and Zabuza's apprentice, the last of the Yuki Clan with a highly-valuable bloodlimit."

Kakashi nodded.

"They also killed Gato and several hundred of his mercenaries using explosive _Kage Kunai Bunshin_."

Kakashi nodded and Hiruzen frowned.

"Kakashi… _what_ have you been teaching them?" ****

* * *

.

 **A Collection Of Metal Maelstrom Random Scenes**  
  
in no particular chronological order

.

_Reflections_

Sasuke

Uchiha Sasuke growled as he stormed away from the Hokage Tower.

How dare the old man tell him that he wouldn't be allowed to become a ninja until he learned not to try and kill his would-be team-mates!

It wasn't as if he'd meant to actually _kill_ that pink-haired fan-girl, only scare her so that she wouldn't want to be a ninja any more, thus keeping her out of his way. She was so damned pathetic at any of the _real_ ninja skills that she should have been _thanking_ him for trying to get her into a safe, _civilian_ career!

How could he have known that she was so damned hopeless that she couldn't even dodge a simple kunai spread!

And Naruto…

The bane of his life! The blond who was somehow _always_ one step ahead of him!

When he demonstrated the leaf exercise, Naruto did it with _two_ leaves. When he performed the fireball jutsu from his clan scrolls, Naruto countered with a larger one! When he got a perfect score on the tests, Naruto somehow managed to get _bonus points_ for _correcting some of the questions_!

And now he had what was probably the most powerful bloodlimit ever! No matter what damage he took, he could heal instantly!

"Uchiha Sasuke."

Sasuke halted and turned, finding himself looking at a bandage-wrapped man.

"You have great potential for power." The man said. "I can help you attain it."

Sasuke glared at him. "And _who_ are you?"

"My name is Shimura Danzo." The man replied with a slight smirk. "And I am one of the few who can train you to reach your full potential."

.

Sakura

Sakura looked in the mirror and sighed.

Although she had been placed on a team with the heart-throb Sasuke, he had tried to kill her!

Her gaze firmed as she looked at her reflection.

No longer would she be a fan-girl, she would prove herself worthy of being a _real_ kunoichi!

But how?

A thought suddenly occurred to her. Naruto! He had always been equal to Sasuke and he had saved her life, perhaps he would be willing to show her what she needed to do to become strong on her own.

Sakura nodded. Tomorrow morning, she would ask for his help.

.

Kakashi

Kakashi stood before the Monument, lost in thought.

His sensei's son had a bloodlimit that had seemingly come from nowhere. His father had possessed enhanced healing while his mother had the use of chains made from solid chakra, but the ability to turn into metal?

Kakashi sighed. No matter how he tried to put the two together, he couldn't see how Naruto had gained his bloodlimit.

Naruto.

A mystery wrapped in an enigma.

By comparison, the other two were easy. Sasuke was so driven by thoughts of revenge that he saw everyone else as either a stepping stone or an obstacle.

Hardly conducive to teamwork, but fortunately not his problem any more.

Sakura was book-perfect, which meant that she was going to be a liability in the field until she learned that reality did not match what she had learned. From her expression as Naruto saved her, she was already starting to learn.

She had _some_ promise.

Kakashi sighed again. Of the three, only two would be his to lead. Hiruzen had officially placed Sasuke as Danzo's apprentice, announcing it publically.

A wry smile crossed his face. By making the announcement public, Danzo would be forced to keep Sasuke in the public's eye and even accompany him on official missions.

The thought of the old cripple performing D-ranks was rather amusing.

.

_Training Practice_

"Naruto?"

Naruto turned and gave his team-mate a quizzical look. "Yes, Sakura?"

"I… was wondering. How did you turn into such a small puddle? Where did the… _you_ go?"

Naruto looked round, then walked over to the still-charred circle. Motioning for Sakura to join him, he pointed at the ground.

"This was where I was at the time. You tell me."

Sakura gave him a confused look, then crouched down. An instant later, she looked up, wide-eyed.

"There's a hole here!"

"That's where I hid." Naruto confirmed. "I made a small hole using a _Doton_ jutsu and poured myself into it."

Sakura whistled, then frowned. "Naruto… how can I get strong? I mean… I'm weak and I need to get strong _quickly_ , and I don't think that tree- and water-walking will help with that."

"Well, first of all, drop your diet." Naruto said, earning a shocked look. "You need more food if you're going to improve. Ninja burn more energy than civilians, even when sleeping, because of our chakra. Second… I'm not sure that weights will help enough, you need _resistance_ training."

"How?" Sakura asked and Naruto sighed.

"Will you trust me?"

"You saved my life." Sakura replied instantly. "Do whatever you need to do."

"Okay, just… stand with your feet shoulder width apart and your arms out. Then, when I'm done, try to run round the field a few times."

Sakura spread her arms as Naruto stepped behind her, then she squeaked as he _flowed_ over her, forming a layer of metal over her limbs. A small tickle in her ear made her cringe, then she heard Naruto again.

"Alright, start running."

Sakura tried to move, only to find that her legs seemed to be trying to wade through glue. Her arms were similarly encumbered, but her torso…

"Naruto, it's not just my limbs that need… _eep_!"

"Sorry. It's hard to avoid… certain areas." Naruto apologized as his mass readjusted itself to encase her from her chin down. "Okay, keep going."

Sakura managed to take the first step, then a second. "I… don't think I'll be _running_ today." She admitted as she fought to take a second step. "But I'm not going to stop!"

.

Kakashi stared down at Sakura.

"What happened?"

"Strength and stamina training." Naruto shrugged. Kakashi continued to stare, then sighed.

"We're meant to have a mission, but if she…"

Naruto scooped Sakura up and carefully draped her over his back. "We're ready to go, sensei."

Sakura twitched in what might have been a nod, then started to gently snore.

"Riiiiiiight." Kakashi drawled.

.

Control

Sasuke collapsed, gasping for breath as Shimura Danzo loomed over him.

"Excellent." Danzo smiled. "You have succeeded."

Sasuke frowned slightly. He had just finished being kicked around the training salle (quite literally on a few occasions) by the old man, completely failing to get a single hit in and avoiding jutsu attacks by the skin of his teeth.

Sasuke's thoughts juddered to a halt as Danzo held out a mirror and Sasuke met his own gaze.

His _red-eyed_ gaze.

He had activated his Sharingan!

"You have gained a powerful tool, Sasuke, but that is all that it is. A tool." Danzo stated. "Should you use it to learn a Jutsu, you will find that you will only be able to perform it perfectly when you have your Sharingan active. As for using it in combat… you need to get _faster_ in order to capitalize on it. Knowing what your enemy is about to do is useless if you cannot move fast enough to avoid his attack."

Sasuke nodded weakly and Danzo's smile turned predatorial.

"Tomorrow, we will begin your _proper_ training as there is no reason to keep going easy on you."

Sasuke's eyes widened. Danzo had been going _easy_ on him?!

"For this afternoon, though, I have something else planned." Danzo said. "We will discuss the power of the Sharingan and why using it could cause you to become reviled."

Sasuke blinked. "R… reviled?"

"The Uchiha were respected for their power, but the other great clans of Konoha saw them as thieves." Danzo stated as he turned away. "We shall discuss this once you have showered and changed. We will also work on your self-control issues."

"I don't _have_ self-control issues!" Sasuke snarled as he scrambled to his feet.

"And thus is my point proven." Danzo riposted as he closed the door behind him.

.

Armor

Sakura looked round. Her vision was unobstructed, even though Naruto had shaped part of himself into a helmet that covered her entire head. Somehow, he had made it so that he was transparent from inside, but not from the outside.

Dropping into a basic stance, Sakura started to flow through the _Kata_ , adjusting her balance as she did so in order to compensate for Naruto's mass and the fact that he was magnifying her strength.

"How do you do this so smoothly?" She asked as she flowed through a five-punch and spinning kick combo.

"I think fast." Naruto replied through the small tendril resting in her ear, the shrug evident in his voice. "Really. It took me a while to adjust to how slow everything around me is."

Sakura nodded slightly as she delivered a series of high kicks to her imaginary opponent.

"How much faster are you?"

"Hard to say." Naruto replied. "Based on your reading speed, I'd say about… between a hundred and a hundred and fifty times faster."

"You mean that one second for me is _two minutes_ for you?" Sakura gasped, her stance wobbling slightly before she regained her balance.

"I think so." Naruto agreed. "Okay, ready for the next stage?"

Sakura adjusted her stance and then staggered slightly as a half-dozen tentacles erupted from her backplate. A moment later, a line of small blades formed on the front of her lower legs as well as on her arms.

"Run through again." Naruto commanded and Sakura dropped into her stance, trying to ignore the blade-ended tentacles hovering in the corners of her vision.

"Ready?" She asked.

"Let's see how your idea works." Naruto agreed and Sakura began to flow through the _Kata_ once more, Naruto's tentacles weaving a web of death around her.

.

_Chunin Exam_

_Meeting Up_

"Uzumaki-san, Haruno-san." Sasuke said politely. The two genin stared at him as if he'd ripped his face off to reveal himself to be Senju Tobirama in disguise.

"What… _Kai_!"

Sasuke blinked as Sakura tried to dispel a genjutsu. "What are you doing?"

"Who are you and what did you do to Sasuke!" Sakura half-shouted. "That emo-teme is _never_ polite!"

Sasuke winced internally, but his training under Danzo allowed him to hide all of his emotions.

"I received training to help me identify and counter me weaknesses." He said calmly. "My temper was one such weakness, as was my previous inability to interact with others."

"It would seam that Shimura-sama made great progress with you." Kakashi said from behind him and Sasuke mentally cursed. He hadn't detected the Jonin's approach which meant that after the exams, he'd have to undergo the sensor training again.

"Anyway since you need to be a team of _three_ to enter the exams, Sasuke has been temporarily assigned to Team 7. Sasuke, if you would introduce yourself and give an overview of your skills?"

Sasuke nodded. "I am Uchiha Sasuke, loyal genin shinobi of Konohagakure. I have been trained to chunin-level in taijutsu, kenjutsu, genjutsu and shurikenjutsu. My ninjutsu is high-chunin level and I have elemental affinities to lightning and fire. I have trained in basic combat medicine, although I am not an Iryonin. My Sharingan has evolved to three tomoe due to my training, although I am under orders to only use it in battle against non-Konoha ninja."

The other two genin exchanged glances, then Sakura spoke.

"Haruno Sakura, genin. I'm a level-one Iryonin and I've studied genjutsu. My taijutsu is adequate to my level, as are my kunai and shuriken abilities. I work best with my partner, Naruto and together we've taken down a Jonin."

Sasuke raised a mental eyebrow at that, especially when Kakashi didn't correct her.

"Uzumaki Naruto. My abilities are differet enough that ranking them is hard, but I'm a close-range type. My _kekkei genkai_ lets me enhance and support other ninja, Sakura-chan has a lot of experience working with me that way."

Sasuke nodded in acknowledgement.

.

_The Test_

Sasuke's pen skittered across his page as he wrote down the answers to the questions, as whispered to him by the small tendril that Naruto had created and placed in his ear. Sakura had a similar tendril and Naruto could talk to her through it, or use it like he was doing now to look at the answers that she was writing down and then transmit them to Sasuke.

Sasuke finished the test and put his pen down. Looking round, he reflected that Danzo would be very interested in Naruto's newly-revealed capabilities with his Bloodlimit.

.

_The Forest_

"Before we enter, I think I should do something." Naruto said, then Sasuke blinked as the Blond's colour seemed to drain away, leaving him looking like a living statue. A moment later, he seemed to flow and twist until two Naruto's stood before them.

"I've seperated myself into two, using some of my stored mass." The one on the right said. "Sakura?"

Sakura nodded and stepped in front of the first Naruto, standing so that he was behind her. An instant later, Naruto seemed to flow over her, forming into a suit of armour, then the visor lifted up to reveal Sakura's smiling face.

"This is how Naruto and I took down Zabuza." She explained and Sasuke nodded.

"Bonuses?"

"Enhanced speed and strength, automatic tree and water walking and special techniques. We'll explain as we go." Sakura laughed. Sasuke nodded, then stepped in front of the remaining Naruto.

"I'm ready."

Despite his mental preperation, Sasuke flinched as he felt the warm metal flow across his skin, mounlding itself to his body. Flicking on his Sharingan, he sighed.

"I need unblocked vision if I am to use my Sharingan."

The transparent visor retracted and Sasuke nodded.

"Impressive."

"Oh, you haven't seen _anythng_ yet." Sakura giggled.

.

The blast of wind tugged at them, but failed to move them.

"Impressive." A voice said and a female Grass ninja appeared. "Resisting my wind like that."

Sasuke blinked the dust out of his eyes as the ninja strolled forwards.

"Interesting armour you have. But where is the third one gone? Oh well."

Sakura pointed at the ninja and Sasuke caught a glimpse of a small hole opening on the back of her hand. " **Who are you?** "

"Why should I tell- _hurk!_ "

The woman toppled over, the poisoned senbon lodged in her throat, then she dissolved into mud.

"Oh, this isn't good." Sasuke muttered and Sakura nodded.

"We need to escape." She whispered, her voice coming through the small tendril in Sasuke's ear. "Naruto, metalstorm technique."

Before Sasuke could ask what was going on, his visor solidified, then a massive cloud of smoke engulfed them, dissipating to reveal so many clones that the forest seemed to have turned silver.

"Relax, let me do this." Naruto whispered and Sasuke let his limbs go limp. An instant later, he found himself racing through the trees at high speed, a scream of frustration echoing through the forest behind them.

"If my clones come across another team, they'll grab the scroll and we can then go to the tower." Naruto said.

"Sounds like a plan." Sakura replied approvingly.

.

_The Tower_

"Well, since only twelve of you made it through the first two rounds, we won't need a preliminary." Ibiki said and Sasuke mentally nodded in agreement. Only fifteen teams had been brave enough to take the tenth question of the first stage and only four teams had made it through the Forest of Death.

"Take a number from the box to determine the matches of the third round." Ibiki said as Anko stepped forwards, the box in her hands.

.

"…and your plans for Naruto?"

"I currently have no true plans due to his unusual ability." Sasuke admitted.

"It is a wise ninja who admits when he does not know something." Danzo confirmed. "Do you have any ideas?"

" _Raiton_ is currently the only thing I can think of that might work." Sasuke admitted. "During my Genin test, my fireball did not faze him in the slightest."

"Then we shall work primarily on your _Raiton_ for the next month." Danzo agreed.

"Thank you, Danzo-sama."


	10. The Speedster

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The powerset used is taken from the Chicago Sentinels series by Marion G Harmon.

**Scenelets**

_Academy_

Naruto looked round at the class he was stood with. He had managed to be enrolled into the Academy two years early after pleading with the Old Man, who had acquiesced for reasons that he still didn't understand.

"Morino Idate and Uzumaki Naruto!"

Naruto stepped into the sparring ring and turned to face his adversary. Idate was one of the few who didn't look down on the six-year-old Naruto, although he wasn't friendly either. He simply preferred to ignore the younger boy.

The two of them bowed to each other, then Idate dropped into one of his clan's primary stances. From what Naruto had heard, the Morino clan used three different styles, one speed-based, one strength-based and one based on deception. Idate had learned the first and Naruto got into his own stance, causing the assembled class to laugh.

Naruto growled, his eyes narrowed in concentration. He needed to get faster. He _needed_ to get _faster_.

 _The seal that held the Kyuubi was a masterpiece of improvisation and adaptation.  
The seal allowed small portions of Youki through, blending it into Naruto's own chakra in a way that boosted Naruto's own chakra reserves to Kage level even at the age of seven.  
_ _However, there was a tiny imperfection in the seal. A single line was a hairsbreadth to the left of where it should have been.  
_ _Normally this would not have mattered, but the line was at a critical juncture and the slight error allowed some of the Youki through where it should not have been.  
_ _However, the slight flaw altered the flow of the Youki as it passed through, changing it into something else.  
_ _Something that no-one had seen before.  
_ _Something that no-one even knew existed.  
_ _Something… that changed_ everything _._

.

Naruto hit the ground and rolled to his feet. Although his ribs hurt from the kick, he was still within the circle (if only barely) and so he could still fight. Clenching his fists, Naruto scowled at Idate. His opponant was fast and he needed to be faster.

Idate launched another attack, but even as he did so, he seemed to slow down. Naruto dived to the right and sprang to his feet, only to gape at the sight of Idate hanging motionless in the air.

"What…?"

Looking round, Naruto realized that he was the only one moving, although he could feel _something_ , a kind of pressure that wasn't actually a pressure as if something was trying to move but he'd stopped it.

Closing his eyes, Naruto examined the new sensation, then he slightly released his _grip_ on whatever it was, letting it flow slowly. Opening his eyes again, he saw Idate drifting forwards. Reaching out, he grabbed Idate's ankle and pulled, turning to throw Idate out of the ring before letting the flow snap back to normal.

"Uzumaki!" The teacher screamed as Idate impacted on the ground outside the ring. "Ten laps of the field for cheating!"

Naruto glared at the chunin, but didn't bother to reply. The teacher was one of the ones who hated him for a reason that he'd never been told. With a sigh, he turned and started running, part of his mind busy thinking about what he had done.

Whatever it was, it had been awesome and he really needed to learn to control it.

.

_Learning_

Naruto grinned as he moved through the frozen timelessness, ducking past several shinobi as he moved into the Shinobi Library. Walking up and down between the shelves, his eyes lit on a book titled "Chakra-Control Exercises". Looking round, he groaned at the sight of a librarian-nin at the end of the aisle, one who happened to be looking almost at him.

He had experimented over the previous year and found that when in the frozen moment, the only things he could move were whatever he had been touching while entering the no-time state, and even those would suddenly become immobile if he released them.

On the plus side, he had used it to build a ladder of sticks once, using them to gain access to the Uchiha compound for one of his pranks. Of course, as soon as he had dropped out of no-time, the rungs 'ladder' had dropped with a loud clatter that had attracted quite a bit of attention.

Naruto looked round again. The Library-nin was one of the ones who disliked him, revealing himself by dropping back into real-time would get him in trouble…

…unless…

Naruto placed his hands in the ram seal and focused his chakra.

"Henge!"

The chakra smoke engulfed him for an instant and then he was wearing the shape of a ninja that he had seen around town, a masked grey-haired ninja with one eye. Nodding, he positioned his hand ready and slipped back into realtime just long enough to take the book before jumping back into no-time and releasing the Henge.

Looking round, he suddenly cursed. The ninja he had copied had stepped round the end of the shelves during the brief second that he had been moving and his eye was wide open. Pocketing the book, Naruto quickly ran out of the library and back to his apartment, using _Henge_ once again to turn into a snake to slither through a small hole that he had made just for that reason. Once inside and safe from any observers, Naruto slowly re-synced with real-time and hid the book on the small shelf he had attached underneath the table. He'd return it once he'd copied it, he wasn't a thief, after all.

"Okay." He smiled. "Mission success, Ramen time!"

.

_Chakra_

"Heya Jiji!"

"Naruto!" Hiruzen smiled as his favourite orphan bounced through the door, ignoring the squawking of his secretary. "Did you want something?"

"Yeah." Naruto admitted. "I got my hands on a piece of chakra paper and I have a wind affinity. I also have a crapton of chakra, too much for _Bunshin_ s, I keep overloading them somewhat fierce. Is there such a thing as an air _Bunshin_? I heard that elemental Bunshin use more chakra and…"

Naruto tailed off with a shrug and Hiruzen looked at the just-turned-eight boy.

"Well, there may be something that you can use." He finally said. "If you wait, I'll teach it to you after I've finished."

"Thanks, Jiji!" Naruto laughed, hugging the Hokage, then he looked round. "Um, do you mind if I practice my chakra control?"

"Go ahead." Hiruzen shrugged as he sat back down and reached for the next sheet of paper, then he froze as Naruto ran up the wall and onto the ceiling. "Naruto… how?"

"I push Chakra through my feet." Naruto shrugged, misunderstanding the question and Hiruzen sighed.

"Can you do water-walking yet?"

"Still working on it." Naruto admitted and Hiruzen waved to the window.

"There's a pond outside. Practise water-walking there until I join you."

"Sure, Jiji!" Naruto shouted as he ran along the ceiling to the window, swinging himself out so that he could run down the outside of the tower.

"Well." Hiruzen finally managed. "That was… unexpected."

.

Hiruzen stared at the sea of orange-clad blondes in amazement. It had taken Naruto under an hour to create his first _Kage Bunshin_ under Hiruzen's careful tutelage, then Naruto had decided to see how many he could make.

"Well done, Naruto." Hiruzen smiled, then he turned stern. "However, you must not dispel them too quickly or their memories will overwhelm you. At best, you will be disoriented, at worst, the influx of memories could kill you."

"What do you mean, Jiji? What memories?" One of the Naruto's asked and Hiruzen sighed.

"I need one of the clones to come with me, please."

One Naruto stepped forwards and Hiruzen led him to one side. His hands flashed through a quick sequence of hand-seals before he whispered something to the clone, then he struck it, turning it into a brief cloud of chakra smoke.

The assembled Naruto's blinked as what Hiruzen had told the clone suddenly appeared in their memories, then they laughed.

"Yeah, we'll have that hat soon!" They all chorused. "Believe it!"

"Ah, but do you understand what this means?" Hiruzen smiled. "If you all practice your water-walking, once you all dispel, the original you will gain all that experience."

Only Hiruzen's combat-trained reflexes allowed him to dodge the sudden stampede towards the pond.

.

_Massacre_

Naruto growled under his breath as he sprinted along the Konohagakure Wall against the darkening sky. Although the _Kage Bunshin_ was a great technique, the clones couldn't _speed_ like he could. They were stuck at normal speed, which meant that he had to train to become faster _without_ using his special skill.

Naruto stumbled as he heard a cry of pain coming from the Uchiha district. Reflexively _speeding_ into _no-time_ , he ran to the nearest ladder and climbed down. Upon reaching the base of the ladder (which had led into one of the Uchiha parks), Naruto strolled through the frozen time, pausing at the sight of a masked figure thrusting a sword at one of the less-than-pleasant military police. Walking up to the frozen cloaked man, Naruto carefully clambered up him and peered through the mask's eyehole.

"That is a _weird_ eye." He finally muttered to himself, dropping back down to the ground.

Continuing his walk, he stepped through the open door of the Clan-Head's house and his eyes widened at the sight before him. A crying Itachi stood behind his mother, his sword paused as he started to swing it towards her neck. To one side, Uchiha Fugaku lay, his head seperated from his body.

"Holy fuck!" He whispered, then he quickly moved to grab Mikoto's kimono before closing his eyes. Focusing inwards, he quickly dropped slightly into real-time, then back into no-time as fast as he could, pulling Mikoto with him. Opening his eyes, he breathed a sigh of releif at seeing Itachi's sword was still a finger-width away from Mikoto's neck.

"What the…?"

"What's going on?" Naruto asked quickly. "There's a masked man with a three-point eye out there, did he do something to Itachi-san?"

Mikoto stared at him, then turned to stare at her son. "What… how…?"

Naruto sighed. "It's my special power, I can go fast and stop time. As long as I'm touching you, you're here in _no-time_ with me. Come on, let's see if you know the cloaked man."

Mokiti slowly rose to her feet while Naruto transferred his grip from her kimono to her hand. Leading her out of the room, he walked to where the masked man was pulling his sword out of the dying Uchiha.

Mikoto looked at him, then with Naruto in tow, walked around him before peering into the mask's eye-hole.

"That… that's a _Mangekyo Sharingan_!" She gasped. "But… I don't recognise the shape… He's an Uchiha, but not one from Konoha…"

"What do we do?" Naruto asked and Mikoto frowned in thought.

"If another village has an offshoot of the Uchiha… We need to save the clan… the children first. We need to hide them… but where?"

"I'm the only one in the apartment block I live at." Naruto offered. "But… I don't know if I can save everyone…"

"Children and their parents first." Mikoto decided.

"Okay." Naruto said, his face setting with determination. "Come on, I'll drop you outside my apartment with a key, then I'll start bringing the others."

"Find my son as well." Mikoto begged. "He was training, I don't know where he is…"

"I'll look out for him." Naruto promised. "Now come on!"

.

Itachi swung his sword in a perfect arc… and his mother vanished just before the blade could strike. Caught by surprise, Itachi staggered forwards and looked round, then thought through what had happened. His mother had been kneeling, ready to die, then there's been a blur… orange? that had lasted less than a hearbeat and vanished, along with Mikoto.

"What…" He whispered, then blinked as a high-speed staccato series of bangs echoed through the compound, bangs that sounded like doors being thrown open with great force. Running out, he looked round, quickly spotting Madara standing still, his body language showing his confusion.

"Madara!" He called out. "What happened?"

Madara looked round and his gaze settled on a scared child standing in a doorway, a child that suddenly vanished with a flicker of orange.

"I… don't know." He finally admitted. "Most of the traitors are dead but the rest of the clan are… gone."

"Uchiha Madara." A new voice stated and both men stared at the Hokage who had somehow appeared in front of them. Even as he spoke, a dozen ANBU _pop_ ped into existence.

"That's new." Madara stated, then vanished in a swirling vortex. Itachi stared at the space that Madara had been, then turned towards the Hokage.

"I failed the mission, Lord Hokage." He said calmly. "I will accept any punishment you deem fit."

Hiruzen frowned. "What mission?"

.

Danzo blinked as the door slammed inwards, propelled by a kick from the ANBU Inu, Hatake Kakashi. His astonishment grew as Hiruzen and four other ANBU appeared out of thin air in quick succession, Hiruzen before him and the ANBU in positions that let them clamp restraints on him before he could even twitch.

"You have a great deal to answer for, Danzo." Hiruzen ground out. "You will join my former comrades in prison and what happens then depends entirely on what I find here and what you can tell me."

Danzo let himself be led off, frowning thoughtfully. He hadn't detected a single flicker of chakra as the ANBU had appeared, which meant that it wasn't a normal movement jutsu like _Shunshin_ , but what was it?

And could he learn it?

.

_Team_

"And team eleven shall be Morino Idate, Yagura and Uzumaki Naruto. Your instructor will be Rokusho Aoi."

Naruto glanced round. Idate was easy to spot, but who was Yagura…?

Naruto felt a pair of eyes on him and looked round, his cerulean eyes meeting the pale blue eyes of the boy sat behind him. The boy needed and Naruto turned his attention to the Jonin who had entered. One of them was eyecatching with his odd bluish-green hair and Naruto grinned as the man spoke.

"Team eleven, on me."

Naruto rose from his seat and moved to the front of the class. The Jonin smiled at them.

"Follow me, please."

.

"I've read your files, so I know about you, but do you know about each other?" Aoi said as he leaned against a tree, a senbon weaving its way between his fingers. "Let me give an example, My name is Rokushu Aoi, I like sushi, I dislike spicy foods and I hope to train you to become a team equal to the Sannin. Yagura?"

"I am Yagura, an orphan." Yagura stated. "I like training, dislike those who are lazy and my dream is to become a Jonin."

"Idate?"

"My name is Morino Idate. I like training, especially alongside my older brother. I dislike those who try to hold back others and I hope to become my brother's equal someday."

Aoi nodded, then looked at Naruto.

"My name is Uzumaki Naruto!" The Blond exclaimed. "I like Ramen, I hate the three minutes it takes to make instant Ramen and I want to become the next Hokage! Believe it!"

"Well, let's see what you can do." Aoi smiled. "I'll spar with each of you, then all of you at once."

.

"Team eleven passes." Aoi said as he limped into the office. All the other Jonin stared at him and Aoi winced as a rib protested. "Idate and Yagura are both more than adequate, but Naruto… did you know that he knows _Kage Bunshin_? He also has a weird teleportation trick that lets him pull his team-mates out of the way, although his clones can't do it."

"I was aware of that _Kekkei Genkei_ of his." Hiruzen confirmed. "He calls it _no-time_ , a very descriptive term. The downside is that he can't actually attack anyone or move anything he hasn't taken with him into _no-time_."

"He is very well trained in Taijutsu." Aoi noted and Hiruzen nodded.

"Uchiha Mikoto personally trained him in the _Intercepting Fist_ , from which he developed his own style." Hiruzen explained."It was part of repaying the debt that the Uchiha clan owes him. _How_ they owe him a debt is still an S-class secret. You'll need to speak to Uchiha Itachi if you want details."

A sussuration of murmurs swept the room, then Hiruzen tapped his desk to get their attention.

"Any other business at this time? No? Excellent."

.

_Traitor_

Hiruzen stared at the trio of genin, the trussed-upforms of the Jonin-sensei and Academy tutor who they had dropped onto the floor of his office.

"Let me get this straight." He finally sighed. "Aoi tried to trick you into stealing the _Raijin_ and the Forbidden scroll before attempting to abscond with them with Mizuki's aid. You captured them both and brought them here… because?"

The three genin exchanged glances before Idate spoke.

"It… was the right thing to do?"

"It was indeed." Ibiki said as he stepped out of the shadows, giving his younger brother an approving look. Both men on the ground stared at him in horror, then tried to wriggle away. Ibiki strode over to them and grabbed them by the ropes, lifting them like luggage.

"With your permission, Lord Hokage?"

"By all means." Hiruzen sighed. "Report on what you discover tomorrow."

Ibiki smirked, nodded again to his brother and strode out of the office. Hiruzen turned his attention back to the trio.

"Well, this leaves me with a problem." He admitted. "The timing could have been better, I just finished reviewing the teams that had passed the genin test and I don't have any spare Jonin who are available at the moment."

For a long moment, no-one spoke, then Hiruzen smiled.

"For your actions in defense of Konoha, I am promoting you three to Chunin." He said, causing all three boys to stare at him in shock. "However, you will need to learn more before you can advance further, so I am re-assigning you as from next week. Idate, you have been learning interrogation techniques from your brother, correct?"

Idate nodded and Hiruzen's smile turned almost predatorial.

"I am assigning you to work alongside Team 10, they are an infiltration and capture unit. Yagura, your focus on taijutsu means that you will prove very useful on team 7. I have my doubts about how Kakashi will train them, so your skills will prove highly advantageous."

Yagura bowed.

"And Naruto." Hiruzen finished. "Your _Kage Bunshin_ and _no-time_ abilities will prove a godsend with Team 8. They are a tracking team. If they get ambushed, you can extract them with ease."

"Yeah!" Naruto cheered, then he paused and turned to the other two. "Ummm…"

"Oh, you'll only work alongside them every other day or on missions that take them out of Konoha." Hiruzen explained quickly. "I have no intention of disbanding a team that works as well together as yours does, but this way, you get experience in working with others and a chance to learn from multiple Jonin. I have no doubt that you'll teach each other what you learn."

All three newly-declared chunin nodded and Hiruzen chuckled before handing a scroll over.

"This contains pay for a C-ranked mission. Enjoy."

"Not ramen!" Idate and Yagura chorused before Naruto could open his mouth. The blond promptly crossed his arms and pouted.

"Oh, Naruto, please come back tomorrow." Hiruzen added. "There's something you need to know."

.

Yagura looked at the trio before him and sighed, slightly adjusting his chunin-vest.

"My name is Yagura and I have been assigned to work alongside you." He stated. "Who are you?"

"The sulking emo is Uchiha Sasuke while the shrieking pinkette is Sakura Haruno." The brown-haired boy said before dodging the fist of the latter. "I'm Tobio."

"And where is your sensei?"

"He's always late." Tobio shrugged as he dodged another strike.

Yagura inhaled deeply, then he fixed the trio with a glare. "Then we shall spar until he arrives."

.

Idate dropped out of the tree, landing between the three genin, all of whom had completely failed to notice him. Before they could do more than jump in shock, he spun on the spot, whipping wires around to catch all three.

"I thought you were a capture team." He sneered, channeling his older brother.

"They will be." Sarutobi Asuma said as he landed beside Idate, giving the boy an approving nod. "They're the next generation Ino-Shika-Cho trio."

"Then thay have a long way to go." Idate stated as he released them from the wires. "Shall we see if they can catch me before I run all the way around Konoha?"

"Yes." Asuma agreed. "And they'll do two more laps if they can't."

The trio stared at him in horror and he returned their gaze placidly.

"Why are you still here?" He asked, pointing to the dust cloud that marked Idate's exit from the clearing. "He isn't."

With a wail of angry despair, Ino lead the charge after the high-speed chunin.

.

Naruto dropped out of _no-time_ in the middle of the team he had been assigned to. Jonin Yuhi Kurenai hid a smile as her three genin completely failed to notice the new addition to her team even as she continued her speech.

"…and in addition, we will need to be aware of counter-ambushes or people who can sneak up on you." She finished and one of the boys snorted.

"Ha, sneak up on _us_? As if."

"It's quite easy, actually." Naruto said and all three genin reacted. The coat-wearing one stiffened, then spun round while the girl _eep_ 'd as she jumped into the air. The loudmouth yelped as he dived away, sending the small white dog that had been resting on his head flying.

"We will be working with Chunin Uzumaki Naruto, a specialist in covering vast distances very quickly and scouting out areas without being seen." Kurenai explained as the girl stopped hyperventilating and the boy scooped up his dog.

.

"What a team." Yagura groused as the trio sat down around the table in Naruto's flat which had become their de-facto gathering spot. "I have to work alongside an emo and a fangirl. At least the third is eager to learn, even if he is clumsy."

"I have a lazy genius, a shrieking harpy and a boy with issues about his weight." Idate sighed. "I never realised how fast _we_ had become until I realised just how _slow_ they are."

"We do specialise in hit-and-run tactics." Yagura agreed and Naruto snorted with laughter.

"With lots of running."

Idate and Yagura both nodded in agreement and then Naruto leaned forwards, pulling a notepad out of his pocket. "I had a clone take notes on what Jonin Yuhi told us about Genjutsus."

"Nice." Idate commented.

.

_Wave mission_

The puddle erupted as two masked ninja leapt out. Even as they prepared to strike, the six people in front of them vanished in an orange blur.

"What the _fuck_?" The thinner one exclaimed, looking round for a clue as to where their targets had vanished to.

"What happened? Where's the bridge builder?" the larger one asked and then suddenly they were both hurled to the ground, wrapped up in veritable cocoons of ninja-wire.

"And _that_ is an example of how my Bloodlimit, used properly, can totally kick ass." A voice gloated as the brothers writhed, trying to escape. "Now, Old Guy, why were they after you?"

.

Zabuza hurled his sword at the group, only for them to vanish in a series of orange blurs. Leaping through the branches, he reached out to grab his sword, then heard a hissing from underfoot.

"What the…?"

The explosion hurled him straight through a tree and as he struggled to rise, he found himself staring into a pair of red eyes before the world went black.

"Hey, I caught another." Naruto called as he trotted up dragging a bound figure. "I can take them both to Konoha if you put them into a deep sleep and give me a small cart so I can pull them along."

"What about the water?" Kiba asked curiously.

"Oh, I'll just walk over it." Naruto shrugged. "Although the waves may be a problem, a bit bumpy."

"My house is only an hour away." Tazuna said. "I have a couple of carts… what?"

Naruto grunted as he lifted Zabuza onto the two-wheeled cart, then did the same with the smaller masked ninja. Kurenai waited until he was done, then reached into a concealed pocket and pulled out a couple of tags, placing them on the foreheads of the ninja.

"Sleep tags." She explained. "They should last up to a week."

"Be back soon, meet you at the old guy's house." Naruto chirped, then he and the captured ninjas vanished.

"Freaked out now." Kiba admitted.

"How did he get that cart so fast?" Tazuna asked in shock.

.

"Hey, guys!" Naruto called and Kurenai looked round to see Naruto and a familiar figure at the door.

"Anko?"

"Hey, Kure-chan." Anko grinned. "Short-stuff here asked for help dealing with Gato, turns out that he's wanted in several nations for slave-trading. With shorty's help, we'll have him captured in no time. Almost literally."

"I'm not short." Naruto grumped.

"Oh, Ibiki says thanks for the prisoners, the younger one has a valuable _Kekkei Genkei_ , _Hyouton_."

"Ice release?" Kurenai said in shock. "I… didn't know."

"Well, let me get some Sake, do my assassination mission and we'll talk." Anko grinned. "Damn, I _love_ shorty here."

"I'm not short." Naruto grumped again.

"See? So _cute_!"

"Not cute!"

"D'awwwwwwwwwwww!"

Kurenai lost her struggle not to laugh.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hat's all the scenes I had. In canon, Aoi is a traitor who tricked Idate and forced him to flee from Konoha. I merely had him try to work with Mizuki, only for both of them to fall victim to Naruto's super-fast techniques and Kage Bunshins, aided by the other two.
> 
> Since I needed a reason to have Naruto interact with at least some of the Rookie 9, I came up with the "aiding the Jonin-sensei" idea.
> 
> And as for Naruto finding out about the Kyuubi… that's what Hiruzen was going to tell him about.


	11. Genin Of The Whirlpool

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was the result of the thought that Uzushiogakure and Konohagakure were very close allies until Uzu's fall.  
> Given that, what agreements might have been made between them?

"Naruto," Iruka said regretfully, "You fail."

"What?" Naruto half-shouted. "Just because my clones don't look good…"

"You need to demonstrate that you can _use_ chakra, control it." Iruka sighed. "The _Bunshin_ is a test of that."

Naruto scowled as he started to stalk out, then he paused in thought. Iruka stared at him as Naruto's expression turned from a scowl to a grin, one that he used as he pranked someone.

"…Naruto?"

"Gotta check something!" Naruto shouted as he sprinted out of the room. Iruka and Mizuki exchanged glances.

"This can't be good."

.

Hiruzen stared in shock at Naruto.

"What?"

"As per the treaty between Konohagakure and Uzushiogakure," Naruto said, holding up a tattered document that Hiruzen hadn't seen since he had been a genin and another that had vanished during the time that the Civilian Council had tried to claim the Uzumaki fortune for the village, "I, as the senior representative of Uzushiogakure to Konoha hereby confirm that Uzumaki Naruto, a member of the Uzumaki clan, is hereby recognized as a genin of Uzushiogakure and, as per the treaty, petition Konohagakure to extend training to him."

Hiruzen continued to stare at Naruto, then his gaze dropped to the Hitai-ate with the Uzushiogakure spiral engraved upon it that Naruto was wearing as a belt.

"Naruto…" He said slowly, "Uzushiogakure is gone…"

"Really?" Naruto frowned. "It can't be, it would have been mentioned in the Academy history books if it had fallen."

Hiruzen made a mental note to have the Academy texts vetted by a group of Jonin.

"But the treaty wasn't cancelled." Naruto smirked. "I checked the announcements and there wasn't one, so it is still in force."

Hiruzen slowly nodded. The precedent (the Village hidden in the Grass) was there, the village in question had been destroyed and was re-founded a decade later in a different valley, but the neighbouring villages had all recognised it as the original village and maintained the treaties.

Part of him wanted to try and deny Naruto his claim, another part wanted to go through with it and laugh at the confusion it would cause.

The latter part won.

"Naruto," Hiruzen said as he rose from his seat, "I have several scrolls containing techniques gifted to Konoha from Uzu before it fell. I believe that you should have copies of some of those scrolls, including one with the traditional _Bunshin_ of the Uzumaki clan, the _Kage Bunshin_."

"Uhhhh, _Bunshin_ 's are useless." Naruto groused as he followed Hiruzen out of the office.

"Not this one." Hiruzen smirked. "I use it a _lot_ to help with my paperwork."

"Huh?"

"By the way, where _did_ you find those two documents? I've been looking for them for the last decade."

.

"…team seven will consist of Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sakura and Inuzuka Kiba." Iruka said, ignoring Sakura's scream of joy. "Team eight is Aburame Shino, Hyuuga Hinata and… huh?"

Everyone's attention snapped to the confused tutor.

"… and… a genin from Uzushiogakure?"

"Never heard of it." Shikamaru mused. "What's so odd about it?"

"Uzushiogakure was regarded as being the sixth of the Five Great Villages even though it was the size of a minor village until it was destroyed just before the Third Great Shinobi War." Iruka said slowly. "It was Konoha's greatest ally from the day Konoha was founded and it took an alliance of three other villages, Mizu, Iwa and Kumo, to destroy it, and even then they lost almost half their forces in the process. The loss of Uzushiogakure was one of the sparks for the Third Great War and the damage they inflicted as they fell is still regarded as the reason why Konoha won."

"Why the heck didn't we get taught about those badass people?" Kiba asked and Iruka shrugged.

"I… don't know. Odd."

For a long moment, no-one spoke, then Iruka coughed.

"Team nine is still active so team ten is Akamichi Choji, Nara Shikamaru and Yamanaka Ino."

Ino snarled as she glared at her rival.

"Dammit! You get the class hunk, the Princess gets the mysterious ninja while _I_ get the lazy clown and the sleeper!"

"What was that?!" Choji growled, his bag of chips dropping from his grasp.

.

"What was that?" Kurenai asked in shock and Hiruzen smirked at her.

"Just what I said. Genin Uzumaki Naruto of Uzushiogakure has been provisionally assigned to your potential genin team."

Kurenai blinked several times. "Uzushiogakure's fallen…"

"But the treaty was never cancelled." Hiruzen riposted. "Naruto found out about it and realized that he could use it to become a genin, despite being failed by the Academy."

"He… failed? Then…?"

"Because they didn't take his chakra levels into account." Hiruzen said, all amusement vanished from his tone. "Naruto has so much chakra that it is actually physically painful for him to sit and study for more than three hours a day. He needs to learn by _doing_ and the more chakra he can burn off, the more he is able to concentrate."

Kurenai nodded slowly as she thought through what Hiruzen had said and, more importantly to any ninja, what he _hadn't_.

"If it helps, he showed me yesterday that he has learned _Kage Bunshin_." Hiruzen added, earning a shocked stare. "I took the liberty of checking that he knew about the memory aspect of it."

" _Kage Bunshin_?" Kurenai breathed. "That would be _very_ useful for a recon team…"

"Indeed." Hiruzen agreed. "Now, you may want to head over to the Academy, you should be picking up your team."

Kurenai bowed and then vanished in a swirl of leaves.

.

The door to the classroom opened and everyone turned to look, only to blink in confusion.

The figure at the door was clad in a black outfit, a white spiral embroidered on each shoulder. Over the top of the black high-collared top was a segmented armoured plate held by two thick straps over the shoulders while the front and back portions were cinched tight by orange cords.

The new arrival's Hitai-ate boasted not the leaf of Konoha, but the spiral-in-a-circle of Uzushiogakure and was worn on his forehead, above his sparkling blue eyes…

"…naruto?" Iruka finally managed.

"Iruka-Sensei." Naruto grinned at him. "Watcha think? I found out about my clan and this is what they wore in battle."

"Naruto-baka!" Sakura screeched. "You failed! How dare you pretend to be a ninja!"

"He _is_ a ninja." A new voice said and Naruto spun round to find himself looking at a cleavage in a dress apparently formed from a long embroidered ribbon of cloth wrapped in multiple layers. Backing up, he looked up to see a pair of red eyes examining him critically.

"Good morning, Genin Uzumaki." The new arrival said with a slight smile. "I am your assigned Sensei, Yuhi Kurenai. Are Hyuuga Hinata and Aburame Shino here?"

Both genin stood up and Kurenai smiled at them. "Excellent. Meet me at Training Field 8."

Kurenai seemed to ripple out of existence, leaving the entire class staring dumbstruck, a silence that was broken by Iruka coughing theatrically.

"Don't three of you have somewhere to be?" He chuckled.

"Ahhh! Yeah!" Naruto gasped as he sprinted away from the door, grabbing his new team-mates and leaping out of the window with them.

"Naruto!" Iruka shouted, sprinting to the window in time to see a dozen clones catching the falling genin and setting them onto their feet before dispelling.

"What the heck was _that_?" Kiba gasped from where he was hanging over the window-sill.

.

Kurenai nodded with approval from within her _genjutsu_ as all three of her Genin arrived together and started to look round.

"I thought that she'd meet us here?" Naruto asked, his voice filled with confusion. "This is training ground 8, isn't it?"

"It is." Shino replied. "It is logical to assume that she is here and we are to find her. What skills do you have that can be of assistance?"

"I have the _byakugan_." Hinata said quietly.

"Shadow clones!" Naruto stated, summoning a dozen of them.

"My Kikkai can search large areas and report their findings to me." Shino said. "however, it would be logical to use the most efficient method we have to start with. Hinata-san, if you would please use your _byakugan_ to search for any genjutsu…"

"No need." Kurenai said, dropping her illusion and walking up to them. "You have proven that you can work as a team and that's good enough for me to pass you both."

"Both?" Naruto asked and Kurenai nodded.

"As an Uzushiogakure Genin, you were in no danger of being sent back to the Academy." She explained. "If I had failed the other two, you would simply have become an Unassigned Genin like many of our shinobi, responsible for your own training and missions."

"I'm still trying to catch up on things." Naruto said with an embarrassed shrug. "I kinda had to teach myself to read and I'm not that good at it…"

"I'll help." Hinata said before she could stop herself.

"Really?" Naruto cheered as he grabbed Hinata in a hug. "Thanks!"

"I will aid also." Shino said quietly. "It is only logical. Why, you ask? Because we are a team. Urk!"

Kurenai fought down laughter as Naruto pulled Shino into the hug, a hug that was enlarged by all the clones. As it finally ended and Shino managed to extract himself, Naruto started panicking.

"Kurenai-sensei! Hinata's out cold! What's wrong with her?"


	12. Naruto Of The Kikkai

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The basic idea for this story has been culled from the abandoned story Legacy Of The Aburame ( FFN id 7148159) by VizeerLord. I decided to run with it in a slightly different direction… (evil laugh)  
> Unfortunately, I reached a certain point, and my muse abandoned me. As such, I'm putting the complete chapters up for adoption.  
> Enjoy.

**Prologue**

The darkening evening was cold and quiet as the five-year-old boy crept down the long road. Long-dried tracks showed that tears had flowed down his dirty cheeks, but the time for crying had long since passed and the boy moved onwards, looking round for a place to spend what remained of the night.

The paved road gave way to a dirt track and through the bushes that lined it, the boy saw a shed. Although it was old, rickety and dilapidated, its walls riddled with cracks and holes while the window had long-since lost any glass it had, it was still shelter, far from those who had thrown him out of the orphanage with fists and curses, and the tired blond made his way to it, fighting through the undergrowth until he reached the door and the remains of a Kanji on it that he could not read. Opening it, he stepped through and, ignoring the dust and webs that festooned the interior, he lay down on the floor, curled up into a ball, and fell asleep.

.

The smallest decision can change the entire path of the future. A single scrap of knowledge, properly applied, can change the world, as can the _lack_ of knowledge if it occurs at exactly the wrong time and place.

In this case, the lack of knowledge that the boy suffered from, in addition to having not been taught even the basics of reading, was that the shed was where one of the Aburame Clan's most deadly experiments had been housed.

Being bug-users who housed their hives inside their own bodies, sustaining and controlling the insects with chakra, the Aburame focused on the use of their symbiotic insects to such a degree that they had little time (or chakra) available for much of the normal ninja skill-set. Not for the Aburame the flinging around of elemental jutsu, no fireballs, no water dragons or earthquakes. Instead, the Aburame used the advanced senses and chakra-draining capabilities of their insects along with poison to take down their enemies. Since emotions could reduce the control they had over their Kikkai bugs, and in extreme cases turn them against the one housing them, the Aburame practiced logic and self-control to a degree that surpassed even the Hyuuga clan.

Their reliance on insects, however, had some notable disadvantages. The Aburame were vulnerable to fire jutsus, as well as water attacks. While their Kikkai were their greatest strength, they were also their greatest weakness. An Aburame with less than a third of his Hive was an Aburame who would lose to any genin who knew what they were doing.

Hence the _Death Bite Beetle_ project.

The idea was simplicity itself. Carefully introduce traits from other bugs into the baseline Kikkai, not concentrating on anything other than getting the resulting insects to be as powerful as possible.

The results were an excellent example of something that had gone horribly _right_. They were _too_ deadly.

Of the nine colonies created, four were used in the Aburame Bonding Rites. In each case, the Aburame died, not having even a tithe of the chakra required to support a single colony of the Death Bite Beetles. One colony was placed into stasis and put into storage for future experimentation while another colony was destroyed as the Queen tried to escape. The final trio of colonies were carefully transferred to a distant shed on the far side of the Aburame compound and left to fade away naturally since the destruction of the rogue colony had cost another three Aburame, and no-one wished to sacrifice more ninja. To ensure that no-one fell victim to the threat that the colonies represented, the hut was painted with a series of warnings, so that everyone who saw them would know that death lurked inside, held until it finally died by the hundreds of specialized seals arrayed around it, seals designed to affect the Death Bite Beetles and only the Death Bite Beetles.

No-one had thought about what would happen if someone who _couldn't_ read found the shed.

A single error that changed the path of the world.

.

An observer to the scene would have witnessed the young boy curled up, fast asleep, in the middle of the shed. A truly astute observer would have seen the half-dozen bugs that landed on the boy, then flew off to three separate corners. The same observer would probably have seen several other bugs move from one corner to another, almost like messengers.

It would have taken an observer who was blind and deaf not to notice when the three bug-infested corners burst into life, the boxes almost exploding open as they disgorged a veritable wave of bugs that swept over the sleeping boy, covering him like a blanket and starting to wrap him in silk. Within an hour, all the bugs had vanished, leaving only a cocoon resting in the middle of the hut

.

"Where am I?"

The boy looked round in confusion at the surrounding walls. Although it seemed to be a large, dark hallway with a shallow layer of water on the floor, the bricks that made the walls were… changing. Even as he watched, the line of change moved slightly, the bricks that were caught in it bulging as they changed from solid rectangles to hexagons, some of which had holes in them.

Curiosity winning out, the boy followed the line of change as it progressed deeper down the tunnel, then he stopped as a set of bars appeared in front of him, a set of bars with a pair of red glowing eyes staring back at him.

" **So, my jailer finally deigns to visit me."**

The boy tilted his head curiously as the being behind the bars moved forwards, coming into the light. Blood-red fur glistened as nine tails lashed at the walls behind it.

"Who are you?"

" **My name is not for one as insignificant as yourself, but you can call me the Kyuubi no Kitsune, or you can call me your death!"** the foxlike being snarled.

" _We are the Hive."_ Another voice buzzed and both the boy and the Bijuu jolted in shock, looking round frantically. _"If you wish to harm our Host, you will face us."_

"Host?"

" _You are our Host. We shall protect and serve you as it is you that now sustains us."_

The boy stared at the small glow of light that hovered before him. "Serve?"

" _We are the three who are one, three Colonies now merged. Our abilities are yours to command."_

" **This is all very well and good,"** Kyuubi snarled, **"But what abilities do you have, little bugs? How can you compare to** _ **me**_ **? How do you think you can stand against one such as myself?"**

" _Our abilities are many."_ Came the emotionless reply. _"As we are three into one, our abilities are still being integrated since each Colony had its own specialty. The first Colony is_ Link _. All the Kikkai are linked, what one sees, hears, smells, feels or tastes is known at once by all. The second Colony is_ Change _, any form of Chakra can be changed into any other form. The Chakra from the one known as Kyuubi helps to sustain us through this, your Chakra of Air can be changed to Chakra of Fire, of Lightning, of Water, of Earth, of Bijuu or of Healing should you wish. The third Colony is_ Shape _, the Chakra you wish to use can be shaped without need for signs or speech.  
_ " _All the Colonies can provide enhanced senses, the ability to produce silk, deadly or paralytic poisons and the ability to create acids that can destroy wood and can damage metal. We believe that within twelve generations of workers, we will have combined all the abilities into one. By your terms, it shall be about four seasons."_

A huge gasp echoed and the boy turned back to the trapped Bijuu.

" **This is… incredible! So much power, so much potential! Yes, with the Hive, you will indeed become a truly worthy container for me… the first container I can be proud of."**

"I… don't get it." The boy admitted.

" **As you get older, you will."** Kyuubi said almost reverently. **"You may call upon my Youki through your new Hive as you need it, and I give you my name. I am Kurama."**

"Naruto. Uzumaki Naruto." Came the reply. "Pleased to meetcha."

" _You will wake soon and will need to eat. The Hive will help you to hunt that you may gain the nutrients we need."_

"Thank you."

* * *

.

**Awakening**

The sound of fabric stretching and snapping echoed in the shed as Uzumaki Naruto emerged from the cocoon that had enveloped him for the past six days. Fighting his way clear of the silk strands, he stood up and took a step forwards, then froze, looking down.

"Aaaarrgh!"

" **What happened?"** / _"What is the problem?"_

The two voices reacted to the scream and Naruto stared down at himself. A long silence descended, then the deeper voice suddenly started to laugh.

" **Oh, this is hilarious! You're totally naked! I always knew you were a hairless ape, now you're a** _ **naked**_ **one too!"**

"Shut up!" Naruto hissed, blushing furiously as he looked round frantically for something to wear. "What happened to my clothes?"

" _We apologise, we used them to help generate enough material for the cocoon."_ The Hive responded. _"Please do not move."_

Naruto froze as several small lines on his body widened, revealing themselves to be holes from which streams of Kikkai emerged. The bugs wound around his body for a few moments, then retreated, leaving a loose-woven silver-grey tunic behind, as well as a pair of calf-length trousers. Naruto looked down at his new clothing for a moment, then he grinned widely.

"That was _cool_! Instant clothes!"

" **Not bad."** Kurama admitted almost unwillingly. **"However, you have been in that cocoon for almost a week as the Hive rebuilt you. I would suggest finding some food, I am sure the Hive will be happy to help."**

" _Scout Beetles have already been deployed, prey has been located_ _ **.**_ _"_

" **Wild Boar."** Kurama noted, seeing the prey through the senses of the Kikkai scouts. Naruto nodded, sharing the vision. **"They will provide us with plenty of protein."**

"Yeah!" Naruto shouted, running out of the hut, then pausing. "Ummm, which way?"

" _Follow the vision."_

Naruto paused and frowned in concentration, then a grin spread across his face. A moment later, he was running through the forest, unaware of the conversation within his mind.

" **You could have just** _ **told**_ **him which way to go."**

" _Yes, but that would not have helped him to learn how to make efficient use of the capabilities the Hive can provide. For the Hive to thrive, the Host must be able to work seamlessly with the Hive."_

" **I see."** Kurama mused. **"As he learns to use your abilities, adapting to you, your own strength increases."**

" _He is the Host. The other Users of Kikkai have tried to become Hosts to single Colonies in the past, but all failed and died. This Host can hold three full Colonies with Chakra remaining. The Hive wishes for the Host to thrive and reproduce, so that his offspring may also hold Colonies split from the Hive."_

Kurama nodded slowly. **"You plan well, little insects. You are aware that he holds two Kekkei Genkai?"**

The insects buzzed slightly. _"We were unaware of that. What bloodlines does he hold?"_

" **His Chakra is denser, which he gets from his mother. His father's gift is faster healing."**

" _The explanation is appreciated. We made a good decision in choosing our Host."_

.

Naruto peered out of the bush, his gaze fixed on the trio of wild boar that were rooting around the base of the tree.

"Found them, what now?" He whispered.

" **You do not have to speak out loud."** Kurama responded. **"Just think what you want to say."**

' _Like this?'_

" **Yes, like that."** Kurama said approvingly. **"Now, what is the problem?"**

' _I don't know how to do this.'_

" _We shall do it for you."_ The Hive said and an instant later, all three boar seemed to freeze, twitch and fall over, unmoving. _"It is done."_

" **That… was impressive."** Kurama admitted. **"How did you do that?"**

" _We bit them at the base of the skull, injecting our poison into them."_ The Hive explained and Naruto's eyes widened in understanding. _"We now have protein available for the Host."_

" **Yes, but eating it raw will not be good for him."** Kurama said. **"Naruto, start collecting bits of wood and pile them up on that patch of earth. Hive, he'll need a stone about fist-sized with a sharp edge he can use to cut with."**

Ignoring the wave of bugs that crawled out of him and flew off to search the forest, Naruto began to collect sticks and small branches.

.

"Eugh, this is gross."

Naruto wiped the sweat off his forehead, inadvertently adding another layer of boar's blood to it, then returned to his task of slowly peeling the skin off the corpse of the second boar. Several dozen strips of meat, carved from the skinned corpse of the largest boar, were suspended above the fire on long sticks and heat-resistant silken threads, cooking and curing in the smoke from the fire. Nearby, a few splashes of blood and other less-identifiable substances were all that remained of the piles of giblets that Naruto had carefully placed aside for the Hive to feast off.

"What do I do with the skins, anyway?"

" _There is a hunter that we are watching some distance away. He is preparing the skin of the boar he killed and we are watching how he does it. When you have all three skins removed from the meat, we will use the memories of his actions to help you prepare the skins for your own use."_

"But I like your silk." Naruto protested, glancing across at the bush where the trousers and tunic had been hung in order to avoid having them discoloured by the mess.

" **You will need more than silk. Proper shoes need leather or hide, silk may be waterproof but a silk-lined hide cloak will keep you drier and warmer. Furthermore, there is always a market for hides, should you need money."**

Naruto nodded unwillingly and turned his attention back to carving the hide off the boar.

"I guess… is the meat done yet?"

A bug flew across to the meat and briefly landed on one of the hanging strips.

" _We do not detect anything harmful remaining."_

" **Wash first."** Kurama advised and Naruto looked at his gore-covered hands.

"Yeeuch, yeah. Okay, where's the stream?"

.

' _So,'_ Naruto asked as he took bites of the now-cooling meat. _'How do we turn that into leather?'_

" _We do not know, the hunter took the hides away in a barrel."_ The Hive responded. _"We believe that he will be selling the Hides, we are tracking him to see where he goes."_

Naruto nodded as he pulled his tunic back on. "Okay, so three hides ready for sale."

"Nice work, kid." A new voice said and Naruto spun round to see a woman emerge from the undergrowth. Beneath his tunic, the Hive prepared in case the newcomer did anything suspicious. "Easy there, I'm not going to hurt you or anything. You're too young for me."

Naruto stared at the purple-haired woman curiously, taking in her chain-mesh top under her open tan coat, her brown skirt over mesh shorts and…

"Wow, where can I get sandals like those?"

The woman almost tripped as Naruto's question penetrated. "Sandals? _That's_ what you noticed? Most men goggle at my boobs."

"But they're really cool with those metal plates." Naruto explained and the woman grinned.

"The metal plates _on_ the sandals are part of the sandals, but above them? Those are greaves. They're not part of the sandal. Name's Mitarashi Anko, chunin."

"Uzumaki Naruto. Nice to meet you."

Anko's brows raised. "Uzumaki Naruto? Heh, the village has been going nuts the last week 'cause of you. There's a reward out for the team that finds you and gets you safely back to the Hokage."

" **Ask her how much!"** Kurama prompted and Naruto repeated the question. Anko's brows lifted even more.

"Well, it's about equal to a C-rank mission, why?"

"Fifty-fifty?" Naruto parroted, repeating Kurama's suggestion without understanding it. Anko did, because she burst out laughing.

"We split the reward equally for getting you back? Oh, gaki, I _like_ the way you think."

Naruto shrugged. "I need money for a new place. I got thrown out of the orphanage and I'm _not_ going back."

Anko frowned for a moment, then shrugged.

"Gaki, can you clean?"

"Had to do _all_ the chores at the orphanage." Naruto groused. "Stupid lady never let me play."

Anko dropped down to crouch on her heels. "Gaki, how about you get a quarter of the reward and in return for me getting the rest, I'll put you up in my place. The Old Man wouldn't mind, and judging from how you took down three boars, you have real potential."

Naruto stared at her. "Why? You don't even know me."

"You remind me of someone I once admired a few years back, he died when I was eleven. He was the student of the team-mate of… someone. Not important right now."

Naruto shrugged as he turned back to the embers of the fire, carefully pulling the strips of cooked meat away from the ashes and placing them on a large leaf he had managed to find. A moment later Anko joined him, her hands almost blurring as she retrieved the rest of the meat, flipping it to land in a neat pile.

"Okay if I have a bit? I was on my way back from a mission and haven't eaten yet."

"Sure." Naruto grinned as he picked up another strip of meat, juggling it briefly to cool it down. "Hey, can you get me some cool clothes like yours? With groves?"

"Greaves." Anko laughingly corrected as she scooped up several bits of meat for herself. "I think a more traditional approach would work better for you. In fact… Yeah, black sandals, dark blue trousers, blue jacket and maybe a white overcoat."

"Ah, man." Naruto griped. "I want orange. Orange is cool. And grooves!"

" _Greaves_. We'll see." Anko laughed, pausing to finish off the final piece of meat she had taken. "So, we bag up the meat and hides, get you some decent clothes, report to the Old Man and then it's Dango time."

"Dango? What's Dango?" Naruto asked curiously, causing Anko to stare at him in shock.

"You've never had Dango? No time to waste, let's get packing!"

.

"Welcome to Higarushi weapons… Anko! It's been a while, back from another mission?"

"That's right, Kyougu." Anko grinned. "Just making a few minor stops and it'll be all done. I'm here for some new clothes and student weapons. How's your daughter doing?"

"Quite scary, really." Kyougu stage-whispered with a grin. "She's out the back, _testing_ the kunai. I think she enjoys throwing those things a little _too_ much…"

"I heard that!" a young girl's shout echoed in from the back.

"She probably gets it from Tsuki." Anko laughed.

"I heard that!" Another female voice shouted and Anko laughed while Naruto simply stood, confused.

"Anyway." Anko said in a voice that indicated she was finally getting down to business. "My new ward here was recently thrown out of the orphanage and I'm taking him in. As such, I'm getting him some new clothing. With his hairstyle, I was thinking blondaime."

"Blondaime?" Naruto repeated, totally confused. "What does that mean? Does that mean I get to wear orange?"

Kyouga blinked several times, then he grinned.

"Anko, I think that I can fill both your requests. I'll take some measurements and get some clothing made. In the meantime, I think a couple of sets of our 'Young Shinobi' line would do. They're on the shelves over there. I'll have the clothes made by the end of the week.

Anko nodded as she walked over to the indicated area and pulled two packages off the shelves. Handing one to Naruto, she pointed to a small cubicle in the corner.

"Get changed, I'll pay for this, then we go see the Old Man."

"Okay." Naruto chirped as he took the package. He had new clothes, not something dragged out of the rag bin! This was going to be the best day ever!

.

"Jiji!"

"N…Naruto? Naruto! You're alright!"

Naruto accelerated away from Anko's side and Sarutobi Hiruzen effortlessly plucked him out of the air, giving him a strong hug.

"Found him in the woods, he'd managed to take down and skin a couple of boars, not sure how. We shared some of the meat, then I brought him here."

Hiruzen released Naruto and stepped back, looking at him with measuring eyes. "New clothes… Higarushi's _Young Shinobi_ line if I'm not mistaken, and a grey silk haori over the top held with an orange sash. Looks good, you have excellent taste, Anko."

"Yeah, I can't have my new flatmate looking like a ragamuffin." Anko grinned. Sarutobi went incredibly still, then turned to look at her.

"Flatmate?"

"Listen, Old Man," Anko growled. "Those bastards at the orphanage threw him out, we both know why they did so. He needs somewhere to stay, with someone who understands him. We've both been blamed for things that aren't our fault, so who better to take him in than me? I have a small room he can have and I can give him some tips on how to be a ninja. You really think anyone else would give a damn about him?"

Sarutobi seemed to shrink slightly, every year of his age showing on his face. "You're right, Anko. How did your mission go?"

"Done and dusted, here's the report." Anko stated, handing over a scroll. "So, that's a C-rank courier mission and a C-rank retreival mission complete."

Hiruzen nodded and scrawled a few lines on a piece of parchment. "Here, take this to the mission desk to get paid. Naruto, Anko will look after you from now on, is that alright?"

"Yeah, jiji." Naruto grinned. "Anko's really cool. But I still want groves."

"Greaves." Anko corrected almost absently.

"Yeah, them."

* * *

.

**Trust**

"… and this is now your room." Anko finished, sliding open the door to reveal a small room equipped with a futon, cupboard, wardrobe and several shelves. "So, before you hit the sack, anything I need to know? Do you sleep-walk, sleep-talk, drool or anything like that? 'cause I don't."

Naruto looked at her blankly and Anko grinned. "Oh, here are some pajamas for you, and _don't_ come into my room unless it's an emergency. I'm still on combat reflex and I'd hate to skewer you to the wall. I'd never get the stains out."

Naruto grinned at that comment as he stepped through and looked round.

"Clean clothes go in the wardrobe, just dump them in and I'll show you how to arrange them tomorrow. Dirty clothes in this hamper for washing. Your weapons I'd recommend go on these shelves here, again I'll show you a good way of sorting them out tomorrow. Now get ready for bed."

"Thanks, Anko-nee-san." Naruto said, absently removing his tunic and pulling his shirt up before freezing at Anko's gasp. Suddenly remembering his new tenants, he dropped the hem of his shirt, but it was too late. Anko grabbed him and lifted his shirt, staring at the slits in his skin.

"Naruto… what…?"

"You can't tell!" Naruto blurted out, panicked. "You can't! The Hive is my first true friend!"

Anko stared at him, then pushed him so that he ended up sitting on his futon. Settling down cross-legged in front of him, Anko stared at him for a long moment.

"When, where and how did you get those… those whatever they are? And just what are they?"

.

Anko rubbed the bridge of her nose. "Let me see if I understand. After you were thrown out of the orphanage by the bitch who runs the place, you found an old hut and decided to spend the night there. Although you don't really remember it, you somehow made contact with the Hive and then woke up, finding that it had wrapped you in a cocoon."

"And Kurama." Naruto added, trying to be helpful. Anko winced.

"And you made contact with the Kyuubi as well." Anko sighed. "And since at least one Aburame attacked you in the past, you don't want anything to do with them, despite now being a bug user. May I see one of those bugs?"

Naruto raised one hand and a bug flew out of his sleeve, landing on Anko's extended finger. For several seconds, she frowned at it, then with a panicked yelp she flung herself backwards, dropping the bug as she did so.

"That's a _Death Bite Beetle_! Those things are so lethal that… and you have a _colony_ of them in you? Sweet Kami!" She hyperventilated.

"Three colonies." Naruto corrected. "Well, they were three colonies, they kind of became one. I think. Wait… they're still working on becoming one."

"You're in contact with them?" Anko gasped and Naruto nodded. "Urm, can you tell them I'm not going to hurt you?"

"They already know." Naruto shrugged. "Everything I see or hear, they do. And the other way around if I want it, I'm still getting used to that."

Anko slumped for a moment, then she looked at the bug that was hovering in front of her. "What do _you_ want?"

"You have chakra that is not yours on you, a chakra that contains a fragment of spirit that is not you. We do not know its purpose, we are curious."

Anko stared at Naruto who coughed in embarrasment. "That was the Hive. What were they talking about?"

"Something that stops me from being promoted to Jonin." Anko said slowly. "Look, it's getting late. You get changed and get some sleep, I need to rack out too. Your Hive will stay secret between us, heck, I'll even ferret out a few insect-based Jutsu for you to study…"

"That is not necessary, but the Hive thanks you." Naruto interrupted in the strange buzzing voice of the Hive. "The Hive is mantaining a watch on the Aburame trainees and memorising their lessons. We will provide our Host with the proper instruction when he has advanced enough to use the lessons without threat to himself. Wow, that really feels weird."

"You… have real-time communications?" Anko asked incredulously. Naruto looked blank for a moment, then nodded. "Bloody hell. Please tell me you want to become a ninja?"

"I wanna become Hokage!" Naruto half-shouted and Anko's grin returned.

"Gaki, if you have even _half_ the potential I think you have, you're going to be the greatest recon/assassination specialist _ever_! Okay, tomorrow, we'll talk more and run a few tests. I'll grab something from the Academy tonight to help."

Naruto blinked as Anko leapt to her feet and strode out of the door, pausing just long enough to close it behind her.

.

"Morning, Gaki."

Naruto blinked several times, rubbing his eyes as he took in the odd device in the corner. On one wheeled stand stood a metal ball with some braided wires linking it to a second stand, on which a screen was mounted.

"What… is that?" Naruto asked, pointing. Anko didn't even bother to look behind her as she pushed a bowl of cereal across and motioned for him to dig in.

"That, gaki, is a Chakra Meter. It's one way to measure chakra. You pump some of your chakra into the ball and the screen shows how much you have. Anything below 50 is civilian. Genin usually have somewhere around 150 once they graduate, chunin about 500, Jonin 1,500, although Tobesku Jonin usually have around 1,000 to 1,200 and Kage have 5,000 or so. In his prime, the Old Man had around 8,000, I don't know what he's on now. Highest I ever heard of was a ninja from Kiri, they said his was over 12,000. So, once you finish… your… that was fast."

Naruto grinned as he put the spoon down and hopped off the chair. Anko rose and walked over the the machine, kicking a storage scroll out of the way as she did so.

"Now, do you know what your chakra feels like? I… forgot to ask last night."

Naruto opened his mouth, then his eyes glazed over. Anko leaned against the wall and watched curiously as Naruto remained stock-still for almost a minute, then he nodded.

"Yep, got it. Thanks, Hive. Anko-nee-san, the Hive wants to know if it should help at all?"

"Ummm, not really." Anko mused. "Just have it keep taking as much chakra as it normally does so we can see what we have left over to work with. Now watch, this is how you do it."

Naruto watched wide-eyes as Anko placed her hands on the ball and frowned slightly. A few seconds later, the screen seemed to blur into life, finally stopping with the number 1,278 on it.

"As you can see, I'm well above normal chunin levels, but still nowhere near a full Jonin." Anko explained, releasing the ball and rubbing at the side of her neck. A moment later, the numbers blurred and vanished. "Your turn."

Naruto leapt forwards and placed his hands on the metal sphere. Closing his eyes, he pulled up the memory of what his chakra felt like (as supplied by his Hive), then concentrated on sending the feeling into the sphere. Behind him, Anko whistled.

"Wow, 2,271? At five? With _three_ colonies of Death Bite Beetles supported? Gaki, that's a hellova lot of chakra, but your control is gonna _suck_. To hell with the leaf exercise, we're gonna have to start you on tree-climbing and water-walking. And I'm not sure it'll be enough. No way are you going to be able to do a regular Bunshin."

"Bug Bunshin?" Naruto suggested and Anko shook her head.

"Not in public. If you can learn it, fine, but keep it secret. Okay, take this card and channel your chakra into it, just like you did with that ball."

Naruto accepted the piece of paper and pushed his chakra into it. The paper promptly split.

"Wind affinity." Anko mused. "This sucks, we've only got a couple of wind-types in Konoha, and there's no way in hell I'm gonna let that bastard Shimura Danzo get anywhere near you. And Asuma's off playing bodyguard… hellfire! I don't even know if there _is_ such a thing as a Kazebunshin. I'll ask round, see if anyone knows any other form of Bunshin you might be able to use."

Naruto shrugged. He hadn't followed all of it, but he was certain that the Hive and Kurama would be able to explain it to him later.

"So, when do we start?"

"Not for a while." Anko sighed. "Sorry, Naruto, but you're just too skinny. First of all, we need to get some weight on you and ensure that you're not suffering from any vitamin deficiencies. Then we need to get started on your physical training as well, I don't think that Snake-style will work for you. Your body type isn't right for it. Before than, though, calligraphy. Can you read? And do you know the twelve jutsu hand-signs?"

Naruto shook his head and Anko growled.

"That bitch! It's like she _wanted_ to ruin _all_ your chances! Okay, you need to learn to read, and fast. Once you can read and write, everything else will become easier for you to learn."

Naruto picked up both pieces of the split paper and frowned in concentration. An instant later, both pieces split again, then one piece disintegrated, a second suddenly went very soggy, the third piece crinkled while the fourth caught fire and turned into ash.

"What… the… hell?"

"Thanks, Hive." Naruto grinned. "Anko-nee-san, that was the Hive helping out. It can change chakra."

Anko stared at Naruto for almost a minute before speaking. "The Hive. Can change. Your Elemental. Chakra affinity?"

Naruto grinned and nodded, causing Anko to facepalm.

"Of _course_ the Hive can change your elemental chakra affinity. Well, that ups the scope of the bunshins you can use. I can't teach you the bug clone, but… I think I need to call in a favour or two. There are some other ninja I know, at least one will be willing to help with your training, but first of all, I'll need to instruct you in the basics. It'll take a while, though and… and… and I think we need to see the Old Man."

.

"Hey, Jiji! Anko-nee-san's flat is _awesome_ and she's really nice! She's going to train me to be a ninja so I can become Hokage!"

Hiruzen looked up from the babbling child in his arms to see Anko leaning against the wall, grinning.

"That's good to hear, Naruto. So, Anko, what did you need?"

"A Jutsu." Anko said simply. "I… _borrowed_ the chakra meter from the Academy, I've returned it so don't worry, but Naruto already has Jonin level chakra stores. He's going to need days of chakra exercises before he can get it under any sort of control, and I thought of a way to get it done quicker without losing hours to boredom."

"Oh?"

"I finally remembered seeing Inu-Sempei using it. Kage Bunshin." Anko stated and Hiruzen's eyebrows rose in understanding. "For me _and_ him. My rating is in the 1,200's, so I've probably got enough for a couple of clones, his is over 2,000 now. Probably means he can do almost half a dozen of them now, and who knows how many as he gets older."

"I see." Hiruzen nodded. "Very clever, Anko. Normally I would say no, but… over 2,000 you said? Very well. Wait here a moment."

Rising from his seat, Hiruzen walked across to a cupboard in the corner of his office and opened it, revealing a large scroll. Placing it on his desk, he unrolled it slightly, then motioned for Anko to look at it.

"Here, read, memorise and copy onto this scroll, destroy it once Naruto's learned it. Naruto, Kage Bunshin work like this… _Kage Bunshin no Jutsu_!"

A puff of smoke appeared and a trio of Hiruzens appeared by the first.

"Wow!" Naruto gasped. "Does this mean you can do your Hokage stuff while still having fun?"

Hiruzen froze, then exchanged shocked glances with Anko and his duplicates. A moment later, the trio of clones facepalmed in unison while Hiruzen walked over to the wall, removed his hat and started to gently beat his forehead against the wall.

"Jiji?"

"Baka, baka, baka, baka, baka, baka…" Hiruzen muttered, punctuating each repetition with a gentle thud.

"It's okay, Naruto." One of the clones said reassuringly while the other two moved across to Hiruzen's desk and started to sort through the piles of paperwork that had not been covered by the giant scroll. "Hiruzen-taicho suddenly realised how the Fourth was able to do the paperwork so fast. How are you doing, Anko?"

"Just finishing copying down the description." Anko grinned. "Thanks, old man."

"Good." Hiruzen said, as he moved away from the wall to roll the large scroll up and return it to the cupboard. "Go on with you, have fun."

Anko led Naruto to the door, pausing to let a relieved-looking Aburame Shibi in. As the closed the door, they heard him speak.

"Hokage-sama, our monitoring seals have confirmed that there are no living Kikkai in the forbidden shed any more, and none were detected leaving. With your permission, we would like to declare the Death Bite… Beetle… programme… I admit to curiousity, why is your forehead bruised?"

.

"Alright." Anko said, looking at the boy standing before her on the training ground. "According to the description, this technique uses chakra to effectively duplicate yourself. It splits the chakra used evenly between the user and the clones, but it doesn't say you have to use _all_ your chakra, so… try doing it with only a bit of your chakra. Say, one-tenth of it?"

Naruto nodded and made the hand-seal for the technique. _"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu_!"

A cloud of smoke surrounded him and Anko's eyes widened as a dozen Naruto's emerged. "Bloody hell! Eleven on your first try?"

"Wahoo!" the Naruto's shouted, leaping round, then several of them paused.

"That's weird." One of them said. "I can't hear the Hive."

"Yeah, it's _really_ quiet, I don't think I like it." Said a second one. Anko shrugged.

"Okay, all clones to me, we're going to be doing tree-climbing to get your chakra under control. First, make a ram seal and focus your chakra into your feet, then try to walk up a tree, like this."

All the clones made appreciative noises as Anko strolled up the tree and out along the underneath of a branch before dropping back down to the ground.

"Too much chakra, you get blown off, too little, you slide down. Okay, Naruclones, start! Original, let's try something else."

As eleven of the Naruto's sprinted across to the trees, the original walked up. "Yes, nee-san?"

"It's sensei when I'm teaching." Anko corrected. "Now, try the clone technique again, same as before, but this time have the Hive join in."

Naruto blinked, then his face went blank for almost a minute. Anko took the time to watch the clones, seeing several of them propelled almost violently away from the trees while others made it up several steps before sliding down.

"I think we've got it, _Kage Bunshin no Jutsu_!"

Another cloud of smoke marked the appearance of a further ten Narutos, all of whom promptly clutched at their heads.

"Naruto!"

"It's… it's alright." One of the Naruto's said as they started to straighten up. "We apologise, we did not expect that to happen. We have dealt with the problem, it will not happen again. What the Hive said. That was _weird_."

"But we all feel the Hive now." A second Naruto said. "Hey, I can see through all of your eyes!"

"I can see through yours." A third one said."This is amazing!"

Anko paused, then pointed to a clone watching them from atop a branch halfway up. "You, excellent work, now dispel!"

The clone vanished and all the other Naruto's paused as the memory of the clone's actions washed through their minds. A few seconds later, several of the clones who had been sliding off tried again, this time sticking to the sides of the trees. Anko grinned almost manically.

"Damn, Gaki, you're gonna be a chakra powerhouse! You'll be able to learn ninjutsu almost as fast as the Uchiha. Okay… enhanced clones, join in with the tree climbing. Go!"

Nine Naruto's ran towards the trees and Anko looked at the remaining one. "As for you, come on. Time for a run. Clones can help with chakra control and technique learning, but only the _original_ you can build up muscle. Let's go!"

"Yes, sensei!"

Anko loped off and Naruto scrambled to catch up with her, settling into a rapid pace of two strides for every one of Anko's.

"Tell me when you start to get tired, Gaki. Training does no good if you exhaust yourself and can't move."

"Yes, sensei."

* * *

.

**Training**

"Wake up, Gak-uuurk!"

Anko slammed into the floor as the seven-year-old Naruto tackled her.

"You're getting better at hiding, gaki." Anko grinned, ruffling the younger boy's hair. "But who's that I sensed in your bed?"

The shape under the covers vanished and as the blanket settled, a small hint of smoke emerged. Anko facepalmed.

"You're getting _too_ good with those Kage Bunshin of yours." She sighed. "Alright, you can get off me now."

Naruto grinned at her and vanished, revealing that he had been another clone.

"Gaaah, _twice_ in one morning." Anko growled, then she pulled her left sleeve up to reveal an armlet with various kanji inscribed on it. "Hive, where's Naruto?"

A small beetle emerged from a hole in the edge of the armlet and flitted across it, pausing on various kanji before returning to its metal nest. Anko read the kanji as it did so.

"Food, yes, training, eight, three, morning. Naruto's had breakfast and is on training ground 83. Got it. Naruto, I'll be there once I've eaten."

The beetle flew onto the 'Yes' kanji, then vanished again and Anko lowered her sleeve and headed to the kitchen.

"Eighty three? Why the heck is that number so familiar?"

.

"…your youthful energy is most inspiring, Naruto-kun!"

Anko's eyes widened in horrified shock as she recognized the exuberant voice. Naruto's response only confirmed her fears.

"Thank you, Gai-sensei."

Anko burst out of the undergrowth and breathed a sigh of relief. Although Gai stood resplendent in his green spandex bodysuit, new Jonin vest and orange legwarmers, Naruto had not followed suit. Gai had obviously failed to persuade him to ditch his black trousers (with greaves!) and long-sleeved top or his most recent grey short-sleeved silk knee-length Haori which had been made for him by his Hive. Although she couldn't see them, Anko was fully aware of the semi-concealed flaps and slits in the top which allowed the Kikkai to deploy rapidly while still being concealed under the Haori, as well as the inner pockets and scroll-holders which let Naruto carry his ninja gear without being slowed down too much.

"Good morning, Gai." Anko said. Gai grinned so widely that Anko swore his teeth sparkled.

"A most youthful morning to you, Anko-san!" he declaimed, giving her a thumbs-up and another of his borderline-disturbing grins.

"Gai-sensei was saying that Academy-style Taijutsu is not suited to me." Naruto said with a smile. "He suggested Fox-style, but I want to learn Preying Mantis as well, it looks really cool!"

Anko sagged slightly in relief. "Gai…?"

"Young Naruto-kun managed to keep up with me during my morning warm-up, Anko-san." Gai said, giving the boy a proud look. "For a token fee, I would be happy to instruct him in the arts of Taijutsu, it will be excellent training for me for the day that I take on a team of genin of my own."

Anko paled, a vision of Gai with a trio of mini-clones searing itself into her imagination.

"Will Naruto be joining the Academy next year? I know that the normal age for joining is nine, but Naruto has much promise that should be worked with."

Anko glanced at Naruto, who was sending her a pleading look. Releasing a sigh, she nodded.

"I'll have the paperwork filled out before the new Academy year starts."

"And while I am in Konoha, both of you are more than welcome to join me in my early-morning workouts!"

Anko blanched. Although she worked far harder than most Jonin, since the seal on her shoulder made her mastery of high-powered jutsu very unreliable, she had seen the insane self-torture that Gai called training.

"Ummm, thanks, Gai, but…"

"Of course." Gai asid agreeably. "I am fully aware that my training regime is considered insane by many and that it does not suit everyone, but I feel that Naruto will benefit from it, since his youthful power is already shining brightly!"

"Okay, Gai." Anko conceded, "But _no spandex_! Naruto and I worked hard to get his outfit like that, with all the pockets, holsters and holders in concealed yet reachable places, so if I catch him in a spandex bodysuit…"

Gai swallowed as Anko licked the edge of the kunai that had somehow appeared in her hand, then pointed it at his groin.

"Yay, training!" Naruto cheered. Anko grinned almost ferally.

"By the way, Gai, Naruto knows the Kage Bunshin, along with the learning aspects of it. That should help you with the mental aspects of the training."

Gai's face lit up as if the sun had shone all its light on him. "Ah, that is excellent! I had worried about how long it would take to teach him, with clones, he can do weeks of training in a single day while I work on increasing his physical prowess! I think that wrist and ankle weights would be an excellent start. Perhaps weight seals on his greaves."

Naruto blinked and then stared at Anko. "This is payback for that prank I pulled last week, isn't it?"

Anko simply grinned.

.

"Anko-san, may I talk with you? It is… about Naruto."

Anko nodded and motioned for Gai to sit down opposite her. Gai waved for a waiter, ordered some water and a plate of fruit, then turned to stare at her, his expression totally serious.

"So, what's up? It's only been a week, lessons going bad?"

"Quite the opposite, I assure you." Gai replied, accepting the goblet and filling it from the carafe of iced water. "He drinks in knowledge like the desert drinks rain. Coupled with his Kage Bunshin letting him practice his Katas while he himself exercises, Naruto is indeed making progress. By the time Academy starts, he will be more skilled in Taijutsu than many Chunin."

Anko swallowed her Dango and looked up ay Gai, meeting his gaze levelly.

"So, if everything's going well, what did you want to see me about?"

"Why is he not an Aburame?"

Anko nodded in understanding. "He doesn't like the clan, but won't tell me why. I'm not sure if it's something they did to him, or if its something they did to the Hive, but…"

Gai shook his head as Anko trailed off. "That was not quite what I meant to ask. He uses Kikkai of a sort I have never seen before. How?"

"Long story." Anko sighed. "And you can't tell anyone."

Gai nodded slowly and Anko finished off her last stick of Dango. Pausing long enough for the waiter to place the plate of fruit in front of Gai, Anko leaned forwards.

"The reason he gained the Kikkai is that no-one taught him how to read before he was thrown out of the orphanage…"

.

"Alright, Naruto-kun, today we _double_ the numbers of clones you use, we are going to _perfect_ your youthful fighting skills before you enter the Academy!" Gai proclaimed, then he lowered his voice.

"Anko-san has told me that you can create clones that can share memories without having to dispel. If you could, can you make two for each group?"

Naruto nodded and made a familiar hand-seal. " _Kage Bunshin no Jutsu_!"

As Gai watched, Naruto repeated the process, this time producing a dozen clones instead of the two-hundred of the first wave.

"Clone commanders ready to deploy, sir." Naruto grinned and Gai looked round.

"Group one, led by you two. Forty clones tree-climbing. Group two, led by you two, forty clones water-walking. Group three and four, thirty clones each and you four, taijitsu katas. Fox and Mantis respectively. Group five, calligraphy, no complaining! You two lead, thirty clones practice. Paper, ink and brushes are in the box over there. Final group, elemental manipulation, use leaves to practice on. Naruto, ten laps around the lake, go!"

Naruto jogged off without complaint and Gai watched him leave before pulling up his sleeve, revealing an armlet similar to Anko's.

"Relay to Anko, training now. Query, lunch at noon?"

For a moment, nothing happened, then the bug flew out of its recess and landed on the kanji for 'yes'. Gai grinned.

"Thank you, Hive. No further message at this time."

The bug flew back to the small hole it inhabited and Gai pulled his sleeve back down.

"Such a shame that the Aburame don't have this type of skill, it would be invaluable in the field." He mused, then he started jogging, carefully pacing himself so that he met Naruto on his second lap of the lake, matching his speed perfectly.

"Report."

"Tree climbers going up and down trees, water walkers… water… walking… no problems reported."

Gai nodded, then looked sharply at the clones they were passing. "I see you're making progress with the wind affinity."

"Yeah, Anko had to cut some fabric last night ad it suddenly occurred to me, using one wind blade is not very effective, but wind scissors? Way easier."

Gai raised his brows in surprise. " _Two_ wind blades? Isn't that harder to do?"

"A bit." Naruto shrugged, "But it does the job better."

Gai glanced back, then made a decision. "Detach five clones each from the water and tree groups, have them join the leaf group."

Naruto nodded, his face going blank for a few seconds as he relayed the order. Less than a minute later, ten clones joined the leaf-cutting group.

"Good, now dispel the best-performing clone in each group except the calligraphy one."

Again, Naruto seemed to zone out, then he nodded. "Done."

Gai glanced back at the leaf group and saw them all pause, before re-applying themselves to their tasks with newfound zeal.

"Excellent, did you get the memories from them too?"

Naruto nodded and Gai's grin widened. "Excellent! Then let us pick up the pace to better fan our flames of youth!"

.

"Urgh."

Anko grinned as Gai lowered an obviously-exhausted Naruto into the chair beside her.

"I take it training went well?"

"rrrrrruuurgh."

Anko grinned at Naruto's moan, then she looked over at Gai and her eyes widened in shock. Gai was actually showing signs of tiredness.

"What in Kami's name _happened_ to you two?"

Naruto flopped forwards, his head _thunking_ on the table as Gai leaned back in his chair and motioned for a waiter.

"Naruto-kun and I… we went all-out. He used his clones, both types, and I didn't hold back… three _glorious_ hours of solid taijutsu combat."

"I must have used over a thousand clones." Naruto muttered and Gai nodded.

"We found that his… enhanced clones can take up to three solid blows before dispelling. At the start, his clones were fighting as a disorganised mob, but by the time we were half-way through, Naruto had got the idea of co-ordinated attacks."

"I actually landed several blows." Naruto added and Gai nodded.

"Naruto seems to have developed a hierarchy for his clones, his joke about his enhanced clones being commanders seems… oddly apt. Do you wish to explain?"

"Nah." Naruto groaned. "Too tired."

Gai nodded and poured himself a drink of water, paused, and pushed it into Naruto's hand. Pouring himself another, he took a sip, then started to speak.

"Naruto finds it hard to deploy more than a dozen directly-linked enhanced bunshin due to the mental aspect which includes the sharing of sight. However, we discovered a few days back that he can create Kage Bunshin using his Kikkai as a core. This is not the Mushi Bunshin of the Aburame, this is a Kage Bunshin with extra stability granted by the Kikkai inside it. Since it links directly to the Hive, Naruto can create over a hundred of them without suffering mental interference. In addition, they use less chakra than an Enhanced Bunshin, although it takes slightly longer to form them. They can also take up to six hits before dispelling, although when one is forcibly dispelled, it means the Kikkai inside perishes as well."

"Just one, though. The Hive has over a thousand already marked for that technique." Naruto interjected, raising his head to take a sip of the water. "I'm using them instead of the Enhanced Bunshin, they're way better, the link needs concentration, and is limited to words, but it means I can deploy far more without my mind melting down."

"Anyway, Naruto deploys them in a three-to-one ratio, one Bunshin-Senpai to three Kage Kikkai Bunshin. This lets him deploy them as teams, with instant reactive capabilities in a large-scale battle. I ambushed one team, and before I had dispelled half of them, _six_ teams descended on me in a counter-ambush."

"Wow." Anko whispered. "He's an army of one!"

Gai nodded. "He will provide any team he is assigned to with a massive combat multiplier. His skills mean that he will be best suited to either heavy combat or recon."

"Recon?" Anko asked before she could stop herself, then she nodded. "Kage Bunshin for scouting and… Bunshin-Senpai? For communication… yeah. I can see that. I'm going to have to up your tracking training."

Naruto released a heart-rending groan and Anko grinned widely.

"Don't be like that, Gaki. This way, you'll fly up the ranks and take the hat just like you want."

"Hat?" Gai asked.

"Gaki wants to become Hokage." Anko said fondly. "I think he might just make it."

* * *

.

**Academy**

"You alright, Naruto?" Anko asked quietly as the duo approached the front gate of the Academy complex. Naruto nodded and brushed his long hair back, fastening it into its regular loose ponytail which incidentally hid the insect-holes on the back of his neck.

"I'm fine, nee-san." Naruto replied with a smile. "I may be a year younger than the others here, but I'll be fine."

Anko nodded, then froze as a pair of robed figures walked past them. "Shit, that's a Hyuuga, looks like he'll be in your class!"

Naruto froze. "You mean…?"

"Yeah." Anko exhaled in disgust. "I know you don't like it, but it's time for me to tell the Old Man about the Hive. I'll get Gai to help, but _you_ try to keep it hidden until the Hyuuga brat decides to spill it. Probably a good thing there aren't any Aburame in your class, they'd know within minutes even if they _weren't_ paying attention."

Naruto nodded slowly.

"What do you think Jiji will do?"

"Well, you've been hosting the Hive for three years without any ill-effects, so probably nothing. I wonder if the brat's learned to activate his Byakugan yet?"

"There's an Uchiha over there." Naruto noted. Anko glanced across and nodded.

"Uchiha Setsuna, named after his great-uncle or something. I don't know if he's activated his Sharingan yet, but be careful how you use your jutsu around him."

Naruto grinned. "No worries, nee-san, remember? Thanks to… you know, I can do most of my jutsu without using hand-seals. Can't copy what you can't see."

Anko nodded, Naruto's ability to get the Hive to shape his chakra for the Jutsus meant that he could perform most of the low-level jutsus without giving his opponent any sort of warning at all. Anko had even called in a favour and got Uchiha " _Shunshin_ " Shisui to teach Naruto the Shunshin teleportation trick. Within a week of Naruto learning, the two of them were often found engaging in impromptu races using only Shunshin, races which Naruto occasionally managed to win since he could use the Hive to "rack" several Shunshins, holding them ready for when they were needed.

Hatake Kakashi had noted that Naruto's Shunshin was almost as fast as the Yondaime Hokage's famed Hiraishin (albeit with far less range), something with which Shisui had agreed without hesitation despite the ongoing (albeit mainly one-sided) animosity between the majority of the Uchiha clan and the Copycat Ninja.

"As long as you're sure." Anko grinned. "Now go on, off with you, I'll see you this afternoon."

"Thanks, nee-san." Naruto grinned, standing on tiptoe to give her a quick kiss on the cheek before running through the gate. For a moment, Anko stood watching him go, then she sighed and walked away, pulling up her left sleeve.

"Good luck, Gaki. Hive, relay to Gai. Meeting, Hokage, backup, urgent."

A moment passed before Gai's reply came and Anko squared her shoulders as she headed for the Hokage's tower.

.

"…and as I call your name, stand up and give the class a few facts about yourself." The teacher said. "Name, likes, dislikes and dreams. My name is Mimoto Takashi but you will call me Sensei, I like reading and seeing my students learn, I dislike slackers and those who think they know everything and my dream is to see those of you who have the ability to do so become proper shinobi. Now you know how it's done, let's see how you do."

Naruto promptly zoned out as several names were mentioned, then a familiar name sounded, catching his attention.

"Higarushi Tenten"

Naruto's gaze snapped round and he grinned at the daughter of the owner of the shop where he got most of his supplies.

"My name is Higarushi Tenten, I like all kinds of weapons, I dislike those who see Kunoichi as being weak and it's my dream to become a Kunoichi like my idol, Senju Tsunade of the Sannin."

As Tenten sat down, Naruto gave her a thumbs-up, causing her to return his smile even as the teacher read out the next name.

"Hyuuga Neji"

"I am Hyuuga Neji. I don't have any real likes but I dislike those who are weak. I have no dreams since I follow fate."

"Wow, what a _grouch_." Naruto muttered to himself, earning himself a death-glare from the offended boy.

"Kohaku Ayumi"

A girl stood up and looked round.

"I am Kohaku Ayami. I like nature, dislike those who act without thinking and my dream is to help foster closer relations between Konoha and my hometown."

Naruto looked out of the window, seeing the faces of the former Hokages. After several moments, his attention was once again grabbed by a name that he had come across before, one often mentioned by Gai-sensei.

"Rock Lee"

The boy that stood up had dark hair pulled back into a ponytail and wore similar style clothes as Tenten. Naruto stared at the large-eyed boy, then flinched as an image of the boy dressed in green spandex and with a pudding-bowl haircut flashed across his mind.

' _Hell, no._ ' He thought to himself. ' _I am_ so _not letting him get brainwashed by Gai-sensei._ '

"My name is Rock Lee." The boy declared in a manner slightly reminiscient of Maito Gai. "I like training and testing myself, I dislike those who look down on others and it is my dream to show that one can be a great ninja without relying on ninjutsu."

" _That boy has almost no chakra that we can detect."_

' _Explains his dream._ ' Naruto mentally replied. ' _I wonder if he'll accept any help in achieving his goal?_ '

"Uchiha Setsuna"

The black-eyed boy stood up, his pose screaming arrogance as much as Neji's had. "My name is Uchiha Setsuna. My likes are my own, my dislikes are none of your business. My dream is to help bring more honour to the Uchiha clan."

Neji snorted and Setsuna promptly glared at him, a glare which Neji returned, enhanced with his Byakugan. An instant later, Neji froze, then turned to stare at Naruto, his expression perplexed.

"And last _and_ least, Uzumaki Naruto." Mimoto Takashi sneered and Naruto rose, keeping his expression calm.

"My name is Uzumaki Naruto. My likes are training, ramen, dango and my adoptive family. My dislikes are those who hate without reason and who cannot see the scroll for the kunai within. My dream is to prove myself worthy of the rank of Hokage, although given what I've seen from my teacher and several of the students, I may be better going for the rank of Raikage or..."

Neji slammed to his feet. "You traitor!"

"Much as it pains me to do so, I agree with the Hyuuga." Setsuna sneered. "I've heard about you, Uzumaki. Unwanted orphan scum living with the that bitch of a snake whore…"

Rage briefly overtook Naruto and the window shattered as Setsuna was sent flying out of it, his left shoulder misshapen from the force of the punch. Naruto inhaled deeply, then he sent his glare around the classroom.

"I will say this only once. Insult me all you want, I'm used to it. But if _anyone_ insults someone I care about, that person _dies_. This is your only warning. And as you can see, the Uchiha just demonstrated why I might be better off in another village."

Several students rose, fists clenched, but Neji waved them back.

"Don't. He's not kidding about killing. He's got… you look like an Aburame."

The teacher froze and Naruto pasted a feral smirk on his face, mentally cursing the fact that he had a classmate who could literally see through him.

"Nah, the Aburame aren't anywhere near as badass as _me_." Naruto stated. "I've got three full colonies of Death Bite Beetle inside me, they're so deadly that even a small colony is too lethal for an Aburame to bond with. One bite from one of my Kikkai, and you're dead."

"Yeah, right." Another student snorted, but Neji motioned for him to shut up even as Naruto released a tithe of his bugs to swarm around him. Naruto let the bugs spread out a bit, then recalled them back to under his Haori. Looking round, he saw that most of the students, as well as the teacher, were pale with fear.

"As I said." Naruto repeated. "You can insult _me_ all you want. But insult someone I care about… you won't live long enough to regret it."

"Actually, I'd prefer it if instead of killing, you reported it to me and let _me_ deal with it. I don't have enough shinobi as it is, so I would prefer _not_ to lose more to their own idiocy." A new voice said and Naruto turned with a grin to face the door.

"Lord Hokage!"

"I came as soon as I realised that there might be a problem." Hiruzen said as he walked into the room, followed by Anko, Gai and a sunglasses-wearing dark-haired man that somehow looked vaguely familiar to Naruto. "Naruto, Aburame Shibi has an interesting offer for you. As you have Kikkai, he offers a place in his clan to you."

Naruto shook his head. "When I was four, I was attacked by an Aburame who called me a demon and stabbed me, leaving me to die. I do not hold the clan itself at fault, but until that man publicly apologises for his actions, I will have nothing to do with the Aburame clan itself."

"And when were you going to tell _me_ about that?" Anko demanded, stalking across to glare at Naruto. "Someone hurt you and you _didn't_ tell me?"

Naruto shrugged. "I heal fast, remember? And it was before we met."

"This could present a problem." Shibi whispered to Hiruzen. "Your own law would mean that whoever it was who attacked him would be put to death for what he said. I do not think that any of my clan will be willing to step forwards, knowing they would die for attacking one who has stolen our Kikkai."

"Hey, they _chose_ me!" Naruto snarled. "I didn't steal them! If anything you could say that _they_ stole _me_!"

Hiruzen sighed. "Very well. Since you have bonded with the Kikkai and kept it a secret for three years, I believe that you have more than enough control over them for me to let you retain them. I will announce this afternoon that from this day on, anyone who attacks Naruto and dies due to his colonies will be deemed to have committed suicide."

"No-one will want to spar with him." Takashi managed to say, his gaze still fixed on Naruto.

"I'll be happy to spar with him." Tenten said with a grin. "I know him from my shop, he stayed over a few times while Anko-san was on missions and I've been teaching him to throw shuriken and kunai. He's fun."

"I also am eager to spar with Naruto-sama!" Lee exclaimed.

"He's too lethal, I won't let him participate." Takashi countered and Gai shrugged.

"Then _I_ shall train the three of them every Friday."

"I'll help!" Anko chimed in.

"But… he punched a student out of the window!"

"He deserved it." Anko and Naruto said in unison, then they looked at each other and had to fight down their laughter. Gai simply rolled his eyes and Naruto remembered his earlier thoughts.

"Lee, whatever happens, don't let Gai convince you to wear green spandex. The lack of pockets can be a real problem."

Anko promptly tried to hide her laughter with a bout of fake coughing while Gai looked slightly scandalised.

"Naruto, after the academy has finished, please come and see me." Hiruzen said, carefully ignoring the Kunoichi. "And don't worry about Setsuna, once he has recovered, I'll be… _discussing_ his actions and attitude. No-one gets away with insulting _my_ ninja."

.

"Three years." Hiruzen stated and Naruto squirmed in his seat. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Well," Naruto sighed, "It taught me why everyone hates me."

Hiruzen froze and Naruto nodded. "Yeah, I know about the Kyuubi. He's been teaching me how to use his youki and the Hive has been changing it into chakra to boost my reserves. Heck, the Hive isn't just using _my_ chakra to live on any more, half the chakra it needs is actually converted youki, giving me more for my own usage."

Hiruzen gaped at him and Naruto shrugged, then looked down.

"I was scared, Jiji." He whispered. "The Hive was my _first_ true friend. It doesn't judge me, or hate me, it's always there for me, it wants to help me, make me stronger, help me to be the _best_ ninja that I can be. I… I was afraid that you'd take it away."

Hiruzen leaned back, his sharp gaze catching the glint of a tear on Naruto's cheek. A random thought occurred to him and he gave a chuckle.

"What?"

"Naruto, since you know about the Kyuubi, I may as well tell you that you were in line to be offered the Toad contract when you were older. But since you have Kikkai, and the toads _eat_ insects…"

Naruto blinked. "Toads? As in the Yondaime?"

Hiruzen nodded slowly and Naruto shrugged. "Why? I'm just an orphan who happens to be the one the Yondaime chose to hold Kurama. Why should that mean that I was going to be offered the same contract as the Yondaime?"

" **Perhaps because you're his son? And the son of my previous Jinchuuriki?"** Kurama sent and Naruto's eyes shot open. Hiruzen stared at him.

"I'm… the Yondaime's _son_?" Naturo gasped and Hiruzen couldn't stop his own face from showing the truth of Naruto's question. "Then why was I put into an orphanage?"

"Because of politics." Hiruzen sighed. "After the attack, Konoha had lost many ninja and needed to rebuild. But the amount of political power you represented meant that if any clan took you in, that clan would have been able to use you as a puppet to get more power, maybe even control of Konoha. And I couldn't take you in myself, I have too many rivals who would have used you as an excuse to have the Daimyo remove me, and thus my protection would be ended. Any civilian family would have been unable to resist the pressure on them to hand you over, so I had no choice but to register you with an orphanage using your mother's clan-name since if anyone found out whose son you were, the assassins targeting you would have had to line up. At the very least, Iwa and Kumo would have sent several assassins to kill you, or worse, kidnap you. Although the secrecy about your family worked, your status as a Jinchuuriki was leaked, and I _still_ haven't managed to find out who it was who betrayed you and Konoha like that."

Naruto sagged slightly, his face blank as his mind turned inwards. After a few moments, he nodded.

"I… think I get it. I don't like it, but the Hive and Kurama explained it to me. And don't worry, I'll keep quiet about it."

Hiruzen nodded, then looked up as a knock sounded.

"What?!"

The door opened and Naruto grinned at one of the people entering.

"Shisui-nii-san!"

"Hey, Naruto-nii-kun." Shisui grinned back, then his face set. "Sir, the matter we've discussed, the timetable's been shifted up. It's happening tomorrow. Itachi and I have come up with a plan with Anko's help, but… sorry, but we need Naruto's help, and it won't be pretty.

The Uchiha standing beside Shisui nodded. "We know our targets, but we need to do this tonight, silently, if we are to save the clan.

Naruto looked at them curiously. "What's happening and what can I do to help?"

"Actually, it's your Hive we need. Setsuna was complaining about it as I took him to the hospital, and we already knew about the Death Bite Beetle project, but we thought they were extinct, not Joined." Shisui said. "Can the Hive act _without_ feeding the memories back to you?"

"I'll ask it… You need our help in removing a threat to Konoha, a threat to our Host, the future Hokage. You need us to kill without mercy, but only those you need to be killed. If it is for the good of Konoha and thus our Host, we will help. Whoah, that still feels weird."

"I'll get the spare communication armbands for you." Anko said, then she glared at them. "And I'm helping. Don't argue!"

Anko walked out of the room, leaving a perplexed Naruto looking at the others.

"She obviously worries about you." Shisui said with a smile. "Perfectly understandable."

* * *

.

**Learning**

"You alright, Naruto?" Shisui asked quietly as the quartet approached the front gate of the Academy complex. Naruto nodded, glancing at Anko's determined expression and Shisui's worried one.

"I'm fine, but the Hive is… rather quiet. What happened after I fell asleep? Or should I not ask?"

"The Uchiha clan was… purified." Shisui said slowly. "All the traitors who wished to overthrow the Hokage mysteriously died last night, Itachi was confirmed as the new clan-head this morning."

Setsuna, walking on Shisui's other side, remained quiet but looked away, trying to hide his frown.

"We lost over a third of our numbers, almost two-thirds of our active shinobi." Shisui continued. "Itachi-sama has gone to ask the Hokage for permission to recruit Hyuuga, Aburame and Inuzuka into the Konoha Military Police to make up the numbers. In addition, many of the remaining Uchiha will transfer across to active Chunin and Jonin duty, taking missions outside the village and even volunteering to lead genin teams. We are also opening up our jutsu vaults to Chunin and Jonin of other clans, trading for new jutsu or using them as mission payments. We have isolated ourselves from the rest of the village for too long."

Naruto looked round and saw several other Uchiha, all Chunin and Jonin, moving towards the academy.

"Um, nee-san?"

Shisui followed his gaze and nodded. "Itachi and the Hokage will be addressing most of the village today, the others are here to tell the students what they need to know in order to cut down on the rumours. I'm going to be telling your class."

Naruto nodded, his expression blank and Shisui squeezed his shoulder reassuringly.

"You saved us, Naruto-kun. The other plan was to wipe out the _whole_ clan to protect Konoha. We're still alive because of you, and we won't forget it."

.

"…and after the traitors were executed, Itachi swore oath to the Hokage and took his position as clan-head." Shisui finished, looking round at the class that was staring intently at him. "For finding the final piece of proof that we needed, Uzumaki Naruto has been named clan-friend of the Uchiha, as has his guardian, Mitarashi Anko."

Shisui used his trademark skill to body-flicker to behind Naruto. Pulling out a necklace with an engraved tag, he held it up so that everyone could see the Uchiha fan embossed on one side while the Uzumaki swirl was centered on the other. After a few seconds, he slowly placed it around Naruto's neck, then stepped back and bowed to him.

"Naruto-san, the Uchiha sector is always open to you."

Before anyone could react, Shisui flickered back to the front of the classroom.

"I think that that covers everything you needed to know. Naruto, Itachi has invited you and Anko over for tea, not formal, just as a way of saying thank you. See you then!"

Naruto grinned as Shisui vanished, then looked round to see everyone staring at him.

"What?"

.

"Uzumaki-sama, Mitarashi-san, good afternoon." Shisui said formally, bowing deeply as the duo approached. "Welcome to the Uchiha Enclave."

"I… we were told that it wasn't a formal occasion." Anko hissed as they approached and Shisui smiled.

"It isn't, but we seem to have quite a few witnesses. Having an Uchiha, especially one as well-known as me, bowing to you… it'll really boost your rep."

Naruto laughed even as Anko rolled her eyes.

"So, this way, please. Itachi-sama and his family are waiting for you."

"That would be Mikoto and Sasuke, yes?" Anko asked and Shisui nodded.

"Yep. Naru-kun, are we still up for our weekly Shunshin race?"

"Day after tomorrow, three laps round Konoha and loser pays for ramen, right, Senpai?" Naruto grinned. Anko shot Shisui a questioning look.

"Just our normal forfeit." He explained with another smile. "So far, I'm seven meals ahead."

"It'll be six soon." Naruto countered and both males burst out laughing as Anko rolled her eyes again.

"I can still Shunshin longer distances, but Naruto uses his Hive to do them more rapidly, one after the other." Shisui explained. "You wouldn't _believe_ how freaked out I was when he did his first stutter-shunshin. It looked like he was in _three_ places at once, even with my Sharingan active, I couldn't follow him. It was something of a relief when we discovered that his Kage Bunshins _cannot_ do his Hive-enhanced Shunshins, only normal ones."

"Your expression was priceless." Naruto chortled. "Anko, he even used his shuriken-eyes to try and keep track of me."

"His what?" Anko queried and Shisui turned his head, his eyes turning red as he activated his Sharingan. An instant later, the three tomoe in his iris seemed to move and warp, forming a four-pointed star.

"Think of them as an enhanced Sharingan." He explained, letting the red fade as he returned his eyes to normal. "Gives me some extra tricks, but too much usage and my vision starts going with no way to heal it. It's kind of a last-ditch thing. I use it too much and it means my career is finished."

Anko opened her mouth, then closed it again as Shisui halted in front of a large mansion. Opening the door, he bowed and motioned for them to enter. Anko nodded to him and led Naruto through.

"Wow, something smells _good_!" Naruto said, taking a deep breath and the woman waiting for them smiled.

"Thank you, Naruto. Welcome to Uchiha Manor, Itachi and Sasuke are waiting in the main dining room. This way please."

Anko and Naruto followed Mikoto down the hallway, Naruto craning his neck to look at the pictures, tapestries and occasional statue. Reaching the door at the end, Mikoto slid it open and waved them through.

"Mitarashi Anko, Uzumaki Naruto, it is good of you to have joined us." Itachi said with a slight smile. "Please, be seated."

Naruto sat down and looked across at Sasuke, who was staring at him.

"Something wrong?"

Sasuke looked away and Itachi looked down at him, then smiled.

"I think he expected you to be taller, Naruto. After all, I told him that by now, you were probably almost to Jonin-level, even though you are still an Academy student."

Sasuke looked shocked and Naruto shrugged. "I had several advantages most shinobi can only dream of, but I still have a _lot_ of history and politics to learn."

"Advantages which include a Hive that scared even the Aburame," Anko smirked, "and which actively helps you with your jutsu."

"I still have to practice the normal way, otherwise my Kage Bunshin can't do them." Naruto protested and Sasuke stared at him as if he'd grown a second head.

"You… Kage… how?"

"I'm a chakra powerhouse." Naruto explained gently. "I need to use my Kage Bunshin to do chakra control exercises every day just to keep my power under control, and that's _with_ the Hive helping me."

Itachi nodded, his eyes briefly flickering red. "You have more chakra than I do. More than any three Uchiha put together, in fact."

Sasuke opened his mouth, then went silent as Itachi gave him a stern look. "When you have activated your sharingan, little brother, you will see the truth for yourself."

Sasuke stared at Itachi for a long moment, then unwillingly nodded. Itachi smiled and turned back to look at Naruto.

"So, I hear that the Academy has slowed down a bit since I attended, although I did attend during a conflict and we needed as many ninja as possible at the time, irrespective of quality. How are your teachers doing, and what's this I heard about you training with Maito Gai?"

Sasuke winced and Naruto stared at him, then back to Itachi.

"What happened with…?"

Itachi smirked slightly. "My little brother had an unfortunate encounter with the _flames of youth_ after Gai misinterpreted his frustration about his attempts to cast an Uchiha fire jutsu."

"Ah." Naruto deadpanned nervously, a trickle of sweat slowly coursing down his brow. "That would do it. If you're not prepared for him…"

"Indeed."

.

"Nii-san," Sasuke said as they watched the duo depart. "What you were talking about… is he really Jonin level?"

"Yes and no." Itachi said. "In terms of chakra, he has almost-Kage level reserves. He can use all five elements equally, but his clones are currently more limited. His Bunshin-senpais, of which I still have _no_ idea about how they work, can use any element that they are pre-set to while his normal Bunshin are limited to wind. If you are fighting him, you can sometimes tell which one is him by seeing who uses more than one elemental chakra type. But do not count on it, he recently fooled _me_ by using several Bunshin-senpais and well-timed substitutions."

Sasuke stared at him in near-shock and Itachi shrugged.

"Little brother, the Sharingan is a powerful tool, but that is all that it is. A tool. It lets us copy the jutsus of others, so long as said jutsus are not shortened. It lets us copy the fighting styles of others, so long as our bodies can support the styles, which sadly is not always, or even often, the case. It lets us use powerful genjutsu, but only if we can look into our opponants eyes.

"During my Jonin exam, I was almost defeated when my opponant used a chakra flare while I had my Sharingan activated. Fortunately for me, a piece of dust had caused me to close one eye, but it took an hour for my other eye to fully recover. I made it my main goal that day to find other ways of fighting than simply relying on the Sharingan, which is one reason why I am often considered a prodigy.

"Naruto has his Hive helping him. If you find one of his Kikkai on you, it means that he can kill you without effort. If you fight him, you will find yourself fighting an army. His Hive has mastered the _Kabutomushi no Kage Bunshin_ , so a single Kikkai can turn into a swarm if need be.

"I honestly believe that he will be a greater ninja than the Yondaime Hokage."

Sasuke gaped at him in shock, then frowned.

"Does that mean that being on a team with him… I could…"

"His abilities mean that he would be the powerhouse of any team, if not a team in his own right." Itachi said, his comments resonating with Sasuke's thoughts. "Pair him up with an Uchiha to copy and teach the jutsu of their adversaries and they would soon be unstoppable."

" _That's_ why you commanded Setsuna to watch out for Naruto! And why you keep questioning him about Naruto's skills!" Sasuke realised. "You want Setsuna to become part of Naruto's team when they graduate!"

Itachi nodded. "Correct so far. Continue."

Sasuke frowned in thought. "You said he was going to be greater than the Yondaime, so by pairing him up with an Uchiha to give him support, you hope to move the clan into a more advantageous position within Konoha."

"Correct again." Itachi said proudly. "But there is more. What have I been doing to the clan?"

"You've been getting the Uchiha to mix more with the rest of Konoha." Sasuke mused. "You're linking the clan closer to Konoha… spreading it out a bit."

"A small target may be harder to hit, but when you do, the damage is greater."

"You're setting things up so that the Uchiha aren't going to be tempted to try another coup!" Sasuke gasped as the enormity of his brother's plan crashed home on him. "You're spreading the clan out so that we _have_ to interact with non-Uchiha in everyday life, you're forcing us to understand others rather than look down on them. That means…"

"Friends and possibly more." Itachi confirmed. "Rather than trying to steal the skills of others, we are seeking to learn to work alongside them, to use our skills to enhance theirs for the good of Konoha."

Sasuke stared at his brother in awe.

"It is almost a shame that Naruto is in the year ahead of you," Itachi mused, "I think that you could have been a good choice as a team-mate to him."

* * *

.

**Delay**

Uchiha Setsuna silently fumed as the bane of his existence walked off with the chakra-deficient moron and the tomboy knife-nut for their Friday sparring sessions with the insane green-spandex –wearing eyebrow-man.

It just wasn't fair.

The little bug-bastard had been responsible for killing over a third of the Uchiha clan (including both his parents and his older brother) and denying it its rightful place as _the_ premier clan of Konoha, but instead of being punished for it, the little blond git had been lauded a hero and had been declared a friend of the Uchiha by none other than that traitorous bastard Itachi, the murderer who had seized control of the clan by _ordering_ the massacre.

It was _so_ unfair!

In under a month the creep was going to pass his genin test. He almost literally couldn't fail, his _Kawarimi_ was flawless, his _Henge_ so advanced that it was solid and he was using a high-ranked kinjutsu for his _Bunshin_. With all the extra training that he received from the Jonin of Konoha (and there seemed to be a damned _competition_ between several of them to see who could teach him the most impressive moves), he was guaranteed not only a pass but the chance to gain an apprenticeship! Solid rumour said that the elite Jonin had almost come to blows several times over who should get him, and that Maito Gai had won the competition by somehow refraining from using the word _Youth_ for a full fortnight whereas Hatake Kakashi had failed to avoid reading his orange books or visit the memorial stone for the same time period. And since Naruto was also the current Rookie of the Year, Tenten was the Top Kunoichi and Lee (due to his medical condition) was technically the Dead Last, Gai was effectively pre-training his trio of genin, meaning that _they'd_ probably end up hitting Tokubetsu Jonin before _he'd_ even reached the damned rank of Chunin.

It _really_ wasn't fair!

And to add insult to injury, his bastard-clan-head Itachi had _ordered_ him to keep an eye on the Baka and try to get on his team if possible! And since the blond bastard used moves that relied on his Kami-damned Kikkai or his thrice-cursed limitless chakra reservoirs, even if Setsuna _copied_ his Jutsu (which these days he wasn't allowed to do without first getting permission, damn it), he couldn't actually _use_ said Jutsu because he didn't have enough chakra himself!

Sparing one last glare at the gate through which the trio had vanished, Setsuna stalked off to join the rest of his class in assembling for Taijutsu practice.

He completely missed the pair of pale eyes that had been watching his thought-revealing expressions.

.

"Hiashi-sama."

Hiashi looked up and one eyebrow almost twitched in curiosity at the realisation of who was kneeling outside his study door.

"You may enter, Neji-kun." Hiashi responded and Neji rose from his formal prostration and moved to in front of the desk before dropping down and bowing deeply. "What is so important?"

"Hiashi-sama, I am currently uncertain as to the importance of Uzumaki Naruto to the Hyuuga Clan." Neji said. "I have reason to believe that someone may be planning to move against him."

Hiashi stiffened. "Such an act would be… highly inadvisable. For many reasons."

Neji took a deep breath, composing himself. "Hiashi-sama, would one of those reasons be linked to the red Chakra that Uzumaki-san carries within himself?"

"That chakra is an S-class secret, not to be spoken of to one who does not know." Hiashi said firmly. "But yes, that is one of the reasons. Who is planning the actions, and what are the actions being planned?"

"The person I believe to be planning the actions, based on his expressions when around Uzumaki-san and a few words that he chose poorly, is Uchiha Setsuna, a classmate of mine at the Academy and my rival for the position of second-place behind Uzumaki-san." Neji reported. "I have not yet determined what the actions he is planning are, only that they will most likely be detrimental to Uzumaki-san's health."

"But his plans could remove Uzumaki from your path to claiming the title of Rookie of the Year." Hiashi noted and Neji's expression briefly flashed with annoyance.

"Although I believe myself to be a better ninja than Uzumaki-san, I wish to prove that _without_ reliance on such dishonourable techniques as Setsuna seems willing to use. I believe in the superiority of the Hyuuga Clan's traditions, and will use those and _only_ those to prove my worth."

Hiashi nodded, allowing a brief flicker of pride to show in his eyes. "Excellent, nephew. You have done well in bringing this to my attention. Do you have any thoughts on how to proceed?"

Neji briefly frowned in thought. "Most of the teachers at the Academy dislike Uzumaki-san, they cannot be counted on to prevent whatever Setsuna has planned. I lack the contacts to bring in observers such as ANBU and even had I such contacts, it would not be proper for me to usurp the responsibilities of the Clan Head in that way. Unless you have further orders for me, I think that the best course of action will be to continue to observe, but to act if Setsuna tries anything to actually harm Uzumaki-san."

"Again, excellent." Hiashi said. "You are correct. I shall personally inform the Hokage about this situation, your choice of actions meets with my approval."

Neji bowed at the dismissal and backed out of the room, leaving Hiashi to consider what he had just learned. Walking away from the study, he paused at the sight of Hinata practicing her calligraphy. She was weak, but…

Neji frowned in thought then turned and walked back to Hiashi's study.

"What is it, nephew?" Hiashi asked and Neji went into the full formal prostration, causing Hiashi to lift one eyebrow.

"Lord Hyuuga." Neji started before he could convince himself to abandon his thought. "Should Setsuna try to move against Uzumaki-san, it will cause the Uchiha to move to show that the Uchiha clan as a whole did not support Setsuna's actions. It occurs to me that at that time, it might be wise to form a closer tie between the Hyuuga clan and Uzumaki-san, but Uzumaki-san and I are rivals and so attempting to form a friendship with him at this stage would be seen as suspicious. However, our rivalry does not affect how the rest of the clan is seen in his eyes…"

"Your thoughts have merit." Hiashi said slowly. "Perhaps Hinata may prove useful for something… would she be able to befriend him if I arranged to have her close to him?"

"I believe she would." Neji said, "But it may raise a new problem in turn. Uzumaki-san was raised by Mitarashi-san, it is possible…"

"That Anko-san would choose to train Hinata." Hiashi said with a thoughtful expression. "Given my daughter's inability to learn the more advanced forms of Jyuuken… I see. Your point is well-considered. You are dismissed with my thanks."

Neji retreated as fast as he could without showing any disrespect.

.

"Greetings, my youthful friend." Gai half-shouted as Anko landed in front of him. "It is good that you are back once more. I hope that your mission was a success?"

"Thanks, Gai, it was." Anko smiled as she straightened up. "Anything new since my last check in?"

"No." Gai said, then he frowned. "Actually, yes. Naruto and myself finally completed the external hive that we were constructing when you left, stocking it with the plants he ordered from the Yamanaka's shop, and his Hive has split off a new colony for it with a new Queen."

Anko raised an eyebrow. "So we have an independent Death Bite colony?"

"It is still linked to Naruto." Gai shrugged, looking confused. "I know not how, but Naruto-kun is able to send chakra to the Outside Hive. The cage surrounding the hive has a full board on it for communications, we have tested it and it works."

"That should reduce the load on Naruto." Anko nodded, then she frowned. "Although, having part of Naruto's Hive permanently apart from him seems… wrong."

"It remains linked to him. As Naruto-kun put it, _'The Colonies are four, the Hive is One'_. "

Anko frowned for a few more moments, then slowly nodded. "Well, the Aburame keep spare Hives in their compound in case one of them suffers damage to their Kikkai. Heh, I guess I'm just too used to thinking of Naruto and his Hive as being one and the same."

Gai nodded, his normal exuberance in abeyance. "I know just what you mean, Anko-san. But since when did Naruto-kun follow normal logic?"

Anko stared at him wide-eyed, then a disbelieving chuckle escaped her lips, a chuckle that soon turned into almost hysterical laughter.

.

Setsuna smirked as he fingered his Kunai. He'd been practicing as much as he could without drawing unwanted attention and he knew that he could do it. He peered round the tree again and bared his teeth briefly. The bug-bastard Naruto was sat with his back to him, with Tenten and Lee facing him, sharing their lunches and talking.

Drawing his Kunai, Setsuna spared a brief glance at the poison-coated blade, then he took a deep breath and carefully selected his target. The spine at the base of the neck. A solid hit there, and Naruto would be dead before he could react. Even if it was not instantly fatal, the poison would kill him in seconds. Smirking, he drew back his Kunai, then his hand snapped forwards.

"Look out!"

Setsuna flinched at the shout, but he'd already released the Kunai. It flew straight through the air…

…and missed its target as Tenten pulled Naruto sideways. Cursing, Setsuna flung a barrage of shuriken to force them to dodge, then he used the Shunshin that he had copied from his cousin to appear behind Naruto, slamming a second poisoned Kunai into Naruto's lower spine, pulling it sideways to slice through one of his kidneys. He had less than a second to rejoice in his triumph before his world evaporated in bugs and pain.

.

"Naruto! Hive, report!"

Neji landed next to the distraught Tenten and his eyes widened as he saw the armlet usually concealed beneath her sleeve in detail. A Death Bite Beetle was almost ricocheting across it, with another doing the same on the identical armlet that Lee was wearing.

"What's happening?"

The swarm of beetles that had engulfed Naruto and his attacker began to retract and Neji's eyes widened further as he saw large numbers of the bugs dissipate in clouds of smoke, proving that they had somehow been Kage Bunshin.

"The Hive is trying to stabilise Naruto-nii-kun." Lee said, focusing intently on his armlet. "Anko-sama and Gai-sensei are on their way. Tenten-san, what did _that_ combination mean?"

"I think… Naruto's going into a coma." Tenten said, her eyes flicking between the armlet and the diminishing swarm. "Neji, what's going on in there?"

Neji blinked, then activated his Byakugan. An instant later, he turned, dropped to his knees and threw up.

"Oh Kami, Setsuna's… the Kikkai…"

A pair of hands pulled his hair away from his face and started to rub his back. Once he stopped throwing up, Neji let himself be pulled back upright.

"Sorry." Tenten said and Neji shook his head, reactivating his Byakugan.

"No, I… wasn't ready. His Kikkai have… almost _eaten_ Setsuna and have encased Naruto in a cocoon. They seem to be congeregating around his wound… they're using _medical_ chakra?"

"The Kunai was poisoned!" Lee gasped, his attention once again fixed on his armlet. "The Hive is trying to fix it, but…"

A slight _ting_ announced the ejection of the Kunai from the now-visible cocoon. Before the trio could react, Anko had appeared from nowhere and scooped up the weapon, first sniffing the blade, then lightly licking it.

"Mitarashi-sensei…"

"Shit." Anko whispered. "Not good. This poison doesn't have an antidote…"

"The Hive says that it can deal with the poison, but it will take… three months?" Lee relayed and Neji almost jumped out of his skin as a hand dropped onto his shoulder.

"The Hive told me that you tried to give a warning." Gai aid, staring at the cocoon that held his favourite student. "Thank you."

Neji nodded slowly, then sighed.

"Dammit. I didn't want to claim the title of Rookie of the Year like this." He whispered. "Damn it. This _isn't_ right."

Gai sighed. "He will not be able to be on my team then. Holding Lee-kun and Tenten-chan back for three months would do both them _and_ Konoha a disservice. Neji-san, you tried to save him, so I thank you. Perhaps you would be willing to join us?"

Neji opened his mouth to protest at Gai's apparent disregard for his cocooned student, then he noticed the Kikkai moving rapidly across Gai's armlet.

"Is that… what _he_ wants?"

Gai tilted his arm so that Neji could see the Kanji inscribed on it more clearly. The Kikkai leapt across to the Kanji for _yes_ , then the one for _Thank-you_.

"Naruto?"

_Yes. Replace. Team. Strong._

Neji blinked several times, then bowed towards the cocoon.

"I will do my utmost to live up to the standards you have set, Naruto-sama."

_Thank-you._

" _No_ … thank _you_."

* * *

.

**Mindscape**

Naruto looked round at the tunnel he was in, then he looked up at the exit. Walking forwards, he blinked several times as he found himself in a brightly-lit hillside field of flowers surrounded by trees. A large stream flowed through the field, flowing round several boulders and falling into a small pond, beside which lounged…

"Kurama!"

" **Hey, Kit."** Kurama nodded and Naruto blinked.

"Kurama, you've… changed. You're not as red as you were."

Kurama shrugged and stretched. **"The Hive came up with a way of turning some of my Yang Youki to Yin Youki. It has changed two of my tails for me, I'm closer to balanced now. Once I get my fourth tail turned, I can use it to return to my** _ **full**_ **strength rather than the half-strength I'm at now. It also means I'm a** _ **lot**_ **calmer than I used to be."**

Naruto walked up to Kurama and reached out, resting his hand on Kurama's paw. "What does this mean for…"

" **Us?"** Kurama asked. **"There's still someone out there who can control me, even when I'm finally returned to full power. I'm staying** _ **here**_ **, inside your mind. Once I'm fully balanced, we can discuss summoning me but I'm actually enjoying it here."**

"Much to our surprise." Said another voice and Naruto spun round to see a pair of figures standing close by. For a long moment, he simply stared at the blond man and the red-haired woman, then their paralysis broke as the woman dashed forwards and caught him in a strong hug.

"Oh, my baby! You've grown so much!"

Naruto stared at the grinning man, then at the woman who had released him and was holding him at arm's length, smiling at him.

"Gomen, but who are you? And why are you here? _How_ are you here?"

"Long story." The man said. "I am, or was, Namikaze Minato…"

"Dad! Mom!" Naruto realized and both adults nodded with proud smiles. "But… how?"

"Your Hive found us a few days ago and finished extracting us from the Seal just before you were attacked." Minato shrugged. "It's feeding us your Chakra adjusted to support us, so we won't fade. As for how, we're advanced Kage Bunshins, the original us placed a portion of our souls in the us you see now. Hmmmm, I hope that sentence actually made sense."

Naruto sat down on one of Kurama's tails as the explanation progressed.

"Minato's Bunshin was set to activate should something happen to the seal. If you had released eight tails of Youki, he would have re-sealed the Kyuubi."

" **Kurama."**

"Sorry, Kurama." Kushina said with a slight nod to the Bijuu. "I was sealed to help you when you decided to fight Kurama for the use of his Youki, but with what the Hive did… well, we're here for you from this point on."

"Yep, we can teach you." Minato said with a smile. "How would you like the Rasengan and the Hiraishin?"

"Your Kenjutsu needs work as well." Kushina said with a fond smile. "Once the Hive has finished repairing you, we'll direct you to where we placed our equipment."

Naruto grinned as a thought occurred. "Can Kage Bunshins create more Kage Bunshins?"

"I don't see why not…" Minato said after a moment's thought. "Why?"

Kushina's eyes widened and she laughed. "Oh, that's _brilliant_! With the chakra that your Hive is feeding us…"

" _Once the Host is healed, the Hive will alter some of the Bunshin-sama Kikkai for Host-father and Host-mother."_ A new voice said and Naruto's grin widened.

"Thanks, Hive, but what about Kurama? Can we Bunshin him as well?"

" **I'll wait until you learn summoning."** Kurama said. **"That way, I'll be able to use more of my power. Besides, I like it here, it's… relaxing."**

Minato laughed, then sobered.

"Naruto, we need to talk about the day you were born, and why Kurama ended up sealed into you. You see, your mother was the second Jinchuuriki for Kurama…"

.

Naruto rubbed his forehead as Minato and Kushina both watched him.

"So, if I follow you correctly, a madman you think was Uchiha Madara tried to seize control of Kurama using the Mangyeko Sharingan, forcing you both to sacrifice yourselves to seal him away and protect Konoha. "

Both adults nodded and Naruto continued.

"You hoped that the Old Man would put me somewhere safe, but he screwed up because he's so old, but having the Hive changed everything so now you both intend to teach me everything you know."

" **I'd take them up on it, Kit. Oh, not the toad contract, but then again since we have** _ **him**_ **here, we don't need it if we decide to change the seal. Besides, imagine combining Rasengan with your clones… it's quite a technique. When he used it, it slowed even** _ **me**_ **down."**

"Kurama-san's right." Minato said with a slight bow towards the now-amused Bijuu. "As my son, you were to inherit all my Jutsu."

"And as mine, my techniques are yours too." Kushina said. "It's just a pity that your chakra isn't _quite_ right for the Uzumaki Chakra Weapons techniques."

" _The Host's chakra can be changed."_

"What? How?" Minato asked in shock while Naruto looked quizzically as the golden sparkles that denoted the Hive.

" _Because of the poison used, the Hive is having to reconstruct over two-thirds of the Host's body in order to remove the effects. As such, the Hive can modify the Host's body like the Hive did when the Hive first Bonded with the Host."_

"Interesting…." Kushina mused. "Mi-kun, start teaching our son about Fuuinjitsu, I need to talk with Kurama and the Hive about what can be done."

"Yes dear." Minato said, grabbing Naruto's shoulder and hustling him to the edge of the field. "When your mother gets _that_ look in her eye, it'll be more than your life's worth to try and stop her."

.

"Any change?"

Anko shook her head as Gai sat down beside her, her gaze never shifting from the large silk cocoon that lay on the bed and the tubes carrying nutrients and liquids to it.

"He's still in there. The Hive says he's recovering as it thought he would."

"I can have Neji look again, if you wish." Gai said after a long moment and Anko shook her head, then frowned.

"Speaking of Neji, how is he doing?"

"He is trying to fit in." Gai said with a slight shrug, "And doing quite well at it. I must admit, it did help that at the team formation meeting, he offered to resign from the team once Naruto-kun recovered."

Anko shook her head. "I don't think the gaki'd like that. Neji _earned_ his position, what happened to Naruto isn't his fault and he did try to stop it."

Gai nodded, then he frowned and extended his hand. A Kikkai landed on his finger and he raised it close to his face, then his eyes widened in shock.

"Anko… the eyes…"

Anko leaned in and squinted slightly as she focused on the Death Bite Beetle perched on Gai's finger. Her gaze tracked along its streamlined outer shell and to the head, with its… red…

"What the hell?" Anko gasped. "Is that a… a Sharingan?"

.

"What?" Naruto gasped in shock and the golden mist of the Hive seemed to flicker slightly.

" _The genetic advantage of the one who attacked the Host has been incorporated into the scouts of the newest generation of the Hive."_ It repeated.

"By Kami." Minato breathed in shock. "The Hive has the _Sharingan_?"

As if in answer, a giant version of a Death Bite Beetle appeared, turning so that Naruto and Minato could examine its eye. Most of the facets of the eye were red, although the central facet and two others were black, the outer two being slightly mis-shapen in a way that resembled tomoe.

"Itachi's has three tomoe." Naruto noted.

" _The genetic advantage acquired only had two tomoe."_

"That probably means that the Hive can see chakra and copy both hand-seals and full techniques with it, but lacks the genjutsu and predictive capabilities of a full Sharingan." Minato noted and Naruto sighed.

"Well, I guess that means that I need to start using the Sharingan Protocols."

At Minato's quizzical glance, Naruto sighed. "It means no using it inside Konoha without permission, no using it on allies in the field and pay for any… jutsu… oh hell. Dad, is there a lot of money with your equipment?"

"Quite a bit, why?"

"I've just realised." Naruto said, looking embarrassed. "I owe the Aburame clan a _lot_ of money since my Hive has been spying on them. Argh! _Why_ didn't this occur to me before?"

"Could the Hive give _you_ the Sharingan?" Minato asked, not quite paying attention to what his son was saying.

" _Unknown. Such an attempt would be likely to be detrimental to the Host's health. The Hive advises against making the attempt."_

.

"That _is_ a Sharingan." Itachi mused, examining a Kikkai through a magnifying glass. "A two-tomoe one at that."

"How the _hell_ did my son's Hive get a _Sharingan_?" Anko exclaimed, throwing her hands up into the air in frustration. Itachi glanced at the cocoon, then back at the bug, which obediently shifted slightly to give him a better look.

"At a guess, when it killed Setsuna." He said after a few minutes. "I believe that this comes under the _Spoils of Combat_ regulations, the Sharingan was Setsuna's possesion, it was on him at the time of his defeat… I wonder what other kekkei genkai the Kikkai can absorb. It might be interesting to find out."

"Somehow I don't think you'll get many shinobi volunteering to be eaten by the Hive as part of an experiment." Anko noted with morbid humour. Itachi blinked several times, then looked embarrassed.

"Not what I was thinking. I was thinking maybe blood donation or hair or something like that."

Anko shrugged as she returned her attention to the cocoon in which her son-in-all-but-blood slept.

"I still need to make amends for the actions of my clansman." Itachi said slowly, then he paused as a buzzing noise attracted his attention.

"Kikkai, clan, pay, part, jutsu, take. Anko?"

"Naruto mentioned years ago that his Hive has been spying on the Aburame!" Anko said thoughtfully, then she slapped herself on her forehead. "I think he's just realised that his Hive was stealing jutsu from them and he needs to repay them. Why didn't _I_ realise that?"

Itachi nodded slowly. "It was probably his Hive gaining the Sharingan that let him make the mental leap. Alright, as a way of showing our regret for the actions of Uchiha Setsuna, the Uchiha Clan will help in paying restitution to the Aburame Clan for techniques taken by Uzumaki-san's Hive. And _I_ will _personally_ explain the intricacies of the Sharingan Protocols to Uzumaki-san. With his Hive having my clan's Dojutsu, the Uchiha now have just as much claim on him as the Aburame."

Anko raised her eyebrows as she thought it through. "Interesting."

.

"…alright. You have the seals down, adjusted for your chakra, so it just needs to be practiced in the real world." Minato said with a smile. "Although I still have many Kunai, the seals will need to be re-done to tune them so that you can use them. Explains why Sensei couldn't use the Hiraishin, though."

"Why do I _need_ Kunai?" Naruto said with a sudden grin. "Hive, the seal array, can it be integrated into some _really_ fast Kikkai?"

" _The array can be grown on the inside of the wing-cases if requested."_ Came the reply even as Minato's eyes widened in amazed realisation.

"You… you're planning on using the Hive as self-guided targeting seals? That… that's _brilliant_!" Minato gasped, staring at his son in awe. Naruto nodded, then his grin widened.

"I'll use your old Kunai with fake seal arrays and a hole in the handle for some of my Hiraishin-Kikkai to rest in. That way, I can throw one Kunai, and get multiple Hiraishin target points. And since everyone _knows_ that the _Kunai_ are the key to the technique…"

Minato stared at his son, awed and unable to speak. Instead, he grabbed Naruto and embraced him firmly before putting him down and ruffling his hair.

"Hey, is it my turn to teach him yet?" Kushina said as she strolled up to them, her katana resting across her shoulders.

.

"Hiashi-sama, Neji-san, Hinata-chan." Anko said to the three Hyuugas at the door. "Please, come in. I assume you're here to talk to Naruto?"

Hiashi nodded and Anko motioned for them to enter. Neji led the way to the room in which Naruto's cocoon resided.

"Good evening, Naruto-sama." Neji said with a bow to the cocoon. "I wish to once again thank you for the use of the Hive Relay, it was invaluable in the mission that our team just completed."

Neji pulled up his sleeve and looked at the armlet, then frowned as nothing happened. Without warning, the cocoon suddenly cracked loudly, causing all four of them to jump in shock and the three Hyuga to briefly activate their Byakugan reflexively.

A section of the cocoon broke away as a fist punched through, then a swarm of Kikkai erupted out of the new hole and flowed outwards, enlarging the hole as Naruto stood up.

Hinata's already-intense blush seemed to go almost fluorescent as Naruto stretched, then her eyes rolled up and Neji only just managed to catch her as she fell, a small trail of blood leaking from one nostril.

Hiashi coughed.

"While it is indeed heartening to see that you are finally fully healed, Uzumaki-san, may I suggest that once you finish your current stretches, you procure some clothing? I am quite fond of my daughter and do not wish to see her expire from blood loss."

Naruto's blush was almost as intense as Hinata's.

* * *

.

**New Class**

Umino Iruka looked at the students arrayed in front of him, then glanced down at the note in his hand. A shadow at the door announced the new arrival and he coughed to get his class' attention.

"Today, we are having a new student join us. He recently recovered from an unfortunate incident and is resuming his education. Enter!"

The class stared at the silk-clad blond who strode confidently in through the door. Stopping beside Iruka's desk, he turned and bowed to the class.

"My name is Uzumaki Naruto. My likes are my family and my friends, my dislikes are those who would try to hurt those I care about. My hope for the future is to prove myself worthy of the position of Hokage."

Movenment at the back of the class caught everyone's attention as Aburame Shino rose to his feet.

"Uzumaki-san, my father requested that I relay to you his permission for you to utilise the first three levels of the Kikkai techniques as you requested. The payment you provided has been placed in the clan's coffers."

"Wait a minute," one of the girls half-shouted, "He's another bug-user?"

"You are only partially correct." Shino said. "He is not simply _another_ bug user, he is the _premiere_ Kikkai Host, carrying three colonies of Kikkai so deadly that even a half-colony would kill the Aburame who tried to Bond with them."

"The Uchiha know of the strength of Naruto-san's Kikkai." Sasuke spoke, causing several of his fan-girls to swoon. "My brother asked me to once again relay the sincere apologies of the Uchiha clan for the unwarraranted assault by one of our own and to inform you that the Uchiha clan confirms your right to use that which you have acquired as a result."

Naruto bowed acknowledgement to both Shino and Sasuke before Iruka took control again.

"If that is all the clan business for now, we have a lesson to begin. Naruto, there is a spare seat beside Hinata. Hinata, please raise your hand."

Hinata blushed furiously as Naruto sat beside her.

"Hyuuga-hime."

"N… Nar… ruto-san." Hinata managed to whisper, her hand clenched around the message in her pocket.

.

"You wished to see me, Hiashi-sama?"

Hiashi looked up in surprise, he hadn't received any messages that his visitor had even been spotted near the Hyuuga compound.

"Ah, Naruto-san." He said, showing no signs of any loss of composure. "Yes, I wish to ask a favour of you."

"I owe the Hyuuga clan for saving my life." Naruto said calmly. "Without your nephew's warning, the injury inflicted by the first poisoned kunai would have been beyond even my Hive's ability to defeat in time."

Hiashi nodded. "Thank you. I seek your help because, as you said, you have a debt to the Hyuuga clan. From the fact that you received my message, I assume you have met my daughter? Excluding the day of your re-emergence, that is."

"Hinata?" Naruto asked, getting a nod in return. "She seems very nice, but she keeps turning red and even fainted once. Is it a medical condition?"

"In a way, yes." Hiashi replied after a brief pause. "However, that is tangential to why I asked you to come. When Hinata was young, she was the subject of a kidnapping attempt and since then, she has been kept under guard. Recently, though, the Hyuuga clan found itself needing to reassign certain people to meet all of the demands made upon us."

"And you want me, with my proven lethality, to bodyguard Hinata-san whenever she is outside the compound." Naruto said.

"You are the most logical one for this mission." Hiashi noted. "Additionally, I believe that Hinata may profit from some training outside the clan. Perhaps you could ask Anko-san…"

Naruto flinched. "Wow, talk about kill or cure! Kaasan'll either break her or turn her into the strongest Kunoichi around."

"If you offer my daughter your support, I doubt that she will break." Hiashi said with a ghost of a smile around his lips, then his expression firmed. "Purely out of interest, just how did you get in with no-one seeing you?"

"Ah… ummm, it's something only I can do thanks to my Hive."

Hiashi nodded, having used his Byakugan to check to see if Naruto was telling the truth. "I see, then I need not worry. Thank you for your time and I thank you for taking up the task."

"It is but a small portion of the debt I owe the Hyuuga clan." Naruto replied. "With your permission, Hiashi-sama?"

"You may go." Hiashi said, glancing down at his paperwork, then back up…

…to see an empty room.

"What the…?" Hiashi blurted, then he activated his Byakugan. A moment later, he deactivated it and frowned in thought.

"How in the thousand Kamis names did he _do_ that? I _know_ that it wasn't a Bunshin…"

.

Hinata stared in shock at her father.

"Are you alright, daughter?"

Hinata swallowed nervously. "I… I think so… It just came as…"

"A surprise?" Hiashi finished. "I can see why."

"B… b… but…"

"Why Naruto?" Hiashi finished, giving his daughter a look of mingled love and exasperation. "You need support, Hinata, and there is no-one within the Hyuuga clan who I deem suitable at this time. The traditions of the clan are not what you need, but they are all that _I_ can offer at this time. Naruto has no stake in whether or not you become the next head of the Hyuuga, so he can provide support for _you_ , support given simply _as_ support rather than a means of manipulating you as part of a plan dictated by the internal clan politics."

Hinata nodded, then her gaze slightly unfocused and she blushed furiously.

"I do not believe his guarding of you will extend to bathrooms." Hiashi smirked and Hinata's blush darkened.

.

Hinata stepped through the main gate of the Hyuuga complex and promptly blushed as her eyes fell on Naruto.

"N… naruto-k… san…"

"Hinata-Hime." Naruto bowed, then he held out a bracer almost identical to the one her cousin wore. Hinata accepted it and slowly attached it to her left arm as she had seen Neji do.

"Hinata-Hime, may I…"

Hinata nodded and Naruto held out his hand. A Kikkai flew out of his sleeve and settled into the small hole in the bracer.

"Now, I can relay messages to you when it is needed, and if you speak to the Kikkai, the Hive will relay your message to me."

Hinata stared at her etched bracer with new respect for it, then she frowned slightly.

"But what h… happens if the kikkai is… k… killed?

Naruto blinked a few times, then reached out and touched the collar of Hinata's jacket.

"If it will make you feel safer, I can place a few backup Kikkai in there for you."

Hinata paused then motioned for Naruto to wait as she sprinted back to her room. A moment later, she rejoined him, wearing a small floral headband that kept her hair fixed into place.

"The flowers… your kikkai…" She stammered and Naruto nodded. Four Kikkai flew up and landed on her headband, moving to hide behind the fabric petals. Hinata smiled and then gasped.

"I took too long! We'll be late!"

Naruto smiled and pulled her to his side, ignoring her gasp of shock, then the world suddenly seemed to _blink_ around them and they were stood just around the corner to the academy entrance.

"What was… that wasn't a shunshin… how did…" Hinata gasped, then went silent as Naruto placed a finger over her lips.

"I'll explain after the Academy finishes." He said gently, then he took her hand and tucked it into the crook of his elbow. "My lady, may I escort you to your class?"

Hinata nodded, unwilling to trust her voice.

.

"Hiashi-sama?"

Hiashi looked up from the piles of proliferating paperwork to see Anko standing at the door of his study. Grateful for the interruption, he motioned for her to enter.

"Naruto sent me a message and asked me to bring this to you." Anko said, placing a parcel the size of a pad of paper on the desk and starting to unwrap it. "It's a communication board, you can place it on your desk, on a table or hang it on a wall and Naruto can use it to send messages or listen to anything you say through his Hive. It'll ignore you unless you start a sentence with _Naruto_ , _Hive_ or _Relay_ , then it'll let Naruto hear what you're saying while the Kikkai will use the board to send his answers back. He can also use it to send you a message, in which case his Kikkai will start by hitting the small bell set into the top.

Hiashi looked at the engraved sheet of metal, noting the sheer craftsmanship that had gone into engraving the various kanji into it. Not a single misplaced scratch marred the surface while all the kanji were placed with a level of care that he himself would have had great difficulty matching.

"Gaki took fourteen attempts to make that." Anko added, causing Hiashi to look at her in shock. "I also brought a small plant for the Kikkai to feed from, otherwise Naruto'll have to visit every few days to switch Kikkai. One of your helpers is repotting it now."

Hiashi nodded.

"You can also use this to communicate with Neji and Hinata directly, they've both got these nifty wrist-bracers." Anko said, lifting up her left arm to show off the metal bracer. "In fact, here's a list of all those who have the bracers, should you need to communicate with any of them."

Hiashi accepted the parchment and glanced at it.

"I see the Hokage is on the list."

"He has his own communication board." Anko shrugged. "He uses it as a relay, although he pays Naruto a small fee each month for it."

Hiashi nodded slowly. "What is the range for the link?"

"About fifty miles. More than that, although beyond that point the connection fades rapidly. It's only really good for short-range missions, gaki still needs special tags for his long-range jumps rather than his Kikkai. Something about chakra-flows and relative fragility."

"That is still an extremely powerful tactical advantage." Hiashi commented. "Knowing that he has his own version of the _Hiraishin_ , I would retreat rather than face him."

Anko nodded, then frowned. "Wait, how did you…?"

"I saw him and my daughter vanish from just outside the main gate in a manner remarkably similar to that once used by my old friend Minato." Hiashi replied, his eyes once again looking at the board. "May I assume that a _Hiraishin_ seal is within the board?"

"And the bracers." Anko confirmed.

"May I try the board out?" Hiashi asked and Anko nodded. "Hive, relay to Hinata. Location request."

A Kikkai emerged from Anko's sleeve and landed on the board for a moment, then started to fly around, briefly landing on certain Kanji.

"Return. Base. Company. Zero zero one?"

"Check the list." Anko advised and Hiashi looked again, then nodded in understanding.

"Number one, Naruto. Of course. You did say Naruto can listen through his Kikkai?"

Anko nodded again and Hiashi looked at the board once more. "Naruto, you will need to learn about my daughter if you are to guard her properly. You have my permission to take her out for a meal to do so but I want her home by dusk. That is all."

To Anko's amusement, the Kikkai seemed to do a double-take before flying to the symbol for acknowledgement, then it flew to the small hole in the base.

"Now, one more piece of business." Hiashi said, catching Anko's gaze. "My daughter requires more training, but I do not trust my clan to provide the correct form of training for her."

"And you want me to do it." Anko smirked, stretching her arms out. "It'll cost, I don't do things for free, you know."

"I am aware of that." Hiashi agreed cordially. "Of course, one of the things I must ask you to do is to give Hinata _The Talk_. I do not believe that she has received it… what is so funny?"

Anko managed to get her laughter under control and pulled herself back into a sitting position, although she refused to meet Hiashi's quizzical gaze.

"Sorry, it's just… you want _me_ to tell your daughter about the shurikan and the kunai?"

Hiashi nodded, then sighed as Anko fell over howling with laughter again.

* * *

.

**Graduation**

Umino Iruka looked at the students arrayed in front of him, then glanced down at the note in his hand. A shadow at the door announced the new arrival and he coughed to get his class' attention.

"Today is the day of the test and we have a special guest to oversee it."

The door opened and Sarutobi Hiruzen walked in, causing the students to go completely silent.

"Good morning, students."

Amongst the responses of "Good Morning, Lord Hokage," Naruto's greeting of "Hi, Jiji!" stood out, garnering several shocked stares.

"Now." Iruka said, getting the class' attention as Mizuki began handing out the test papers, "When I tell you to, you will turn over the papers and begin."

.

.

"And that concludes the written portion of the exam." Iruka said, pausing as Naruto groaned "Thank the Kamis" loud enough for everyone to hear, thus causing a ripple of hastily-suppressed giggles. "Now, while I mark your tests, please join Mizuki and Hokage-Sama outside for the weapons, taijutsu and ninjutsu portions of the exam."

As the students filed out, Iruka glanced at Hiruzen, who was smiling.

"What is it, Lord Hokage?"

"Just a passing thought." Hiruzen said as he turned to follow the last of the students. Pausing at the door, he looked back. "I think that this will be interesting, you may wish to sit by the window as you mark the tests."

Iruka blinked, then smiled as he remembered that the outside testing area was visible from the classroom. Pausing only to drag his desk closer to the window, he turned over the first test and sighed.

"Shikamaru, why did you do _just_ enough to pass, _again_? I know you're better than this."

.

"The first test is shuriken and kunai." Mizuki announced. "You will throw five of each at the targets, points will be given for accuracy of placement with lethal and permanently crippling shots getting top marks. First up, Aburame Shino."

The bug-user stepped into the throwing circle and, with incredibly-efficient movements, threw five shuriken and then five kunai, none of them missing the wooden dummies. Mizuki walked over and pulled them out.

"Seventy-nine out of one hundred. Akamichi Choji, you're next."

"You alright Hinata?" Naruto whispered, placing his hand reassuringly on Hinata's shoulder. Hinata blushed.

"I… I don't know if I'll do well, I…"

"Hey, you'll do brilliantly." Naruto murmured to her. "I believe in you, remember? You're strong, fast, smart, beautiful…"

Hinata almost keeled over with only Naruto's reactions stopping her from landing on the floor. Looking up into his eyes, she saw only honesty and truth.

"It's almost time for your test." Naruto said as he lifted her back to her feet. "I know you'll do brilliantly, Hinata. Believe me!"

Hinata nodded as her name was called. Moving forwards, she reached into her kunai pouch.

' _Naruto believes in me, he taught me the Rasengan, he had his Hive make my jacket for me, he introduced me to his parents, I can't let him down. I_ won't _let him down!'_

Taking a deep breath, Hinata stood still for a heartbeat, then her hands seemed to blur. The shuriken and kunai _thunked_ solidly into the targets, the shuriken embedded deeply into the throats while the kunai were all perfect heart shots.

"Perfect score." Mizuki announced and Hinata blushed at the spontaneous round of applause and cheers that greeted the announcement. Looking down, she almost scurried back to Naruto who gave her a congratulatory hug.

"I _knew_ you could do it!"

Hinata didn't _quite_ faint, but only Naruto's hug kept her from collapsing on the ground as her legs seemed to turn into wobbly columns of water while the world around them seemed to fade away.

A round of female cheering broke into her reverie and Hinata regained her footing, looking round to see Mizuki handing back shuriken and Kunai to Sasuke.

"Uzumaki Naruto!"

Giving Hinata a quick kiss on her cheek, Naruto strode forwards, taking up position. A moment later, his hands blurred and five shuriken buried themselves almost to their midpoint in the targets throats while five silvery kunai slammed deeply into the chests of the targets.

Yamanaka Ino gasped. "Those are _Hiraishin_ Kunai! My dad has one on his wall at home!"

Naruto shrugged and reached out as Mizuki stood motionless. Glowing chains suddenly lashed out, pulling first the shuriken into his hands, then the kunai.

"Naruto-kun, what… was that?"

"That was an Uzumaki-clan technique, chakra chains." Naruto smiled. "According to a scroll I read, in honor of the friendship of the Uzumaki clan and Konoha, all Uzumaki were granted the right to use _Hiraishin_ Kunai for so long as the clan was allied with Konoha. I just chose to exercise that right. Here's a copy of the scroll."

Hiruzen caught the small scroll and unrolled it, his breath catching as he saw a pair of familiar signatures at the bottom. "Naruto speaks the truth, this scroll confirms it and was signed by Namikaze Minato and Uzumaki Kushina."

Naruto grinned and walked back to Hinata. "So, how'd I do?"

"Naruto-kun, where did you get that scroll?" Hinata whispered.

"My parents made it for me yesterday." Naruto replied just as quietly. "Word will spread that as an Uzumaki, I can use the _Hiraishin_ Kunai, which means I don't have to try and use normal ones and also simplifies my weapons loadout since I only need one type, not the usual throwing-and-dagger of everyone else."

Hinata nodded and closed her eyes, resting her head on Naruto's shoulder and relaxing in the support of his arms. For a while, the world seemed to fade away once again, but then her relaxation was interrupted.

"Hyuuga Hinata." Mizuki said, catching their attention.

"Bunshin and Henge, then Kawarimi." Naruto whispered into her ear before releasing her. Hinata nodded in embarrassed gratitude, she had completely missed the instructions. Taking her place, she looked at Mizuki.

" _Bunshin no Jutsu._ "

Four copies of Hinata appeared.

" _Henge!_ "

As the bunshins vanished, Hinata turned into a perfect copy of Naruto, causing several laughs. Mizuki nodded, his face expressionless and picked up a ball. As he threw it, Hinata was engulfed in a cloud of smoke and the ball bounced off a log. A moment later, the log vanished in a puff of smoke, with Hinata taking its place once more.

"Excellent. You pass this portion."

Hinata blushed as she made her way back to Naruto's side. As she turned to face the examining grounds, Naruto gave her a one-armed hug.

"You did brilliantly."

Hinata's blush intensified and she tried to calm her breathing. After a few minutes, she heard Naruto's name being called again. Naruto stepped into the cirlce, then looked at the Hokage.

"Is it alright if I combine my Henge and Bunshin?"

Mizuki glanced across and Hiruzen nodded with a curious expression on his face. Nauto grinned.

" _Special Uzumaki Technique – Hokages return!_ "

A large cloud of smoke enveloped him and when it cleared, everyone gasped at the sight before them. Hiruzen blinked at the sight of himself, flanked by his predecessors and successor, as well as two women that he recognised, but the final figure…

"Shodai Hokage Senju Hirashima, Shodai's wife Uzumaki Mito, Nidaime Hokage Senju Tobirama, Sandaime Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen, Yondaime Hokage Namikaze Minato, Jonin Uzumaki Kushina." Mizuki recited as he walked along the line, then he paused, staring at the last figure, a very familiar-looking blond. "And you are…?"

"I am the future Godaime Hokage Uzumaki Naruto." The man stated with his almost-trademark grin. Hiruzen raised his hand quickly to hide his grin as several of the students started to laugh.

"That's my boy." Kushina said, reaching out and giving hima one-armed hug. "You'll be a great Hokage."

"Hey old man, I hope you're paying attention." Minato laughed. "He has my vote."

"Then I shall start the paperwork tomorrow." Said the clone Hiruzen and the real Hiruzen started to laugh.

"Only you, Naruto. Only you. I guess that this is a perfect pass."

Mizuki walked to the side, then turned and threw a ball at Naruto as hard as he could. An instant before the ball hit, Naruto was engulfed in smoke.

"Ow!"

The smoke cleared to reveal Mizuki holding onto his left shoulder, glowering at Naruto. "You… you _Kawarimi_ 'd using _me_?"

"A perfect pass." Hiruzen repeated as the clones walked over to Naruto and started shaking his hand and congratulating him. Hinata smirked as she briefly activated her Byakugan, confirming that two of the clones weren't actually simply _Henged_ clones of Naruto.

"Then this just leaves Taijutsu." Hiruzen said, waving his hand. A moment later, two figures appeared. "These are Izumo and Kotetsu, they have volunteered to help test your skills. To pass, you need to hold your own against them for two minutes. Extra points will be awared if you force them out of the ring or manage to knock them out. Taijutsu only, no Jutsu that require hand-seals, no genjutsu and no use of nin-dogs or Kikkai."

Both chunin released sighs of relief at the last one.

"First up, Aburame Shino in ring one and Akamichi Choji in ring two."

Hinata closed her eyes. "Naruto…"

"You'll do brilliantly." Naruto reassured her. "Just stay calm and remember your Snake Jyuuken."

Hinata nodded slowly.

"Haruna Sakura and Hyuuga Hinata!"

"You're up." Naruto grinned. "Prove you're the best as I know you are!"

Hinata smiled as she stepped forwards, her confidence restored. Taking position opposite Izumo, she bowed slightly and dropped into a modified Jyuuken stance.

"Begin!"

Moving with a speed that Anko had (quite literally) beaten into her, Hinata launched her attack, using her Rasengan training to launch a spike of Chakra up Izumo's arm, numbing it. As Izumo staggered back, Hinata kicked out, catching his hip and launching another chakra pulse that curved from his right hip to his left knee, sending him tumbling to the ground, unable to escape.

"Winner, Hinata." Hiruzen said. Hinata knelt and began unblocking the tenketsu that she had sealed, only vaguely aware of the applause she was getting and the approving grins from Minato and Kushina.

.

"We have the results." Iruka said, standing in front of the class. "You all pass."

The entire class erupted in cheers and Iruka waited a moment, then held up his hand for silence.

"The battle for Kunoichi of the year and Rookie of the year were both very close-fought, and in the end, it came down to less than three points difference. The rank of Kunoichi of the year by two points goes to Hyuuga Hinata!"

Hinata blushed as another round of cheers rose, and she glanced across at Sakura, who had been her main rival for that position. To her relief, Sakura wasn't glaring at her, but instead bowed slightly.

"And the position of Rookie of the year, by a single point, is Uzumaki Naruto."

Naruto grinned at Hinata, who blushed furiously. She and Naruto were going to be on the same team!

"Now, that ends the Academy term for you. Please return in two weeks for your team assignments."

"I already know them." Shikamaru yawned and everyone looked at him. "What? It's obvious. Ino, Choji and I will be on one team since our fathers worked so well together and they can train us in their preferred techniques and tactics. Naruto and Hinata will be on the same team, as one team is always composed of the Rookie and Kunoichi of the year, as well as the Dead Last. Sorry, Kiba, but that means that you're with them. That only leaves Sakura due to her ranking, Sasuke and Shino, so they'll be on a team. So unless the Hokage decides to mix up the civilian-born with the clan-children, those will be the teams."

"Very good, Shikamaru." Iruka said with a smile. "Unless there is a valid reason otherwise, those _will_ probably be the teams."

"Troublesome." Shikamaru yawned as he lowered his head onto his folded arms and fell asleep.

Iruka looked at him, then shook his head. "Dismissed."

Naruto rose and darted across to Kiba. "Since we're probably going to be on the same team, how about a meal together, my treat. We can go to that barbeque place Choji keeps raving about, loads of meat there."

Kiba nodded. "Sure, but I need to tell my mum where I'm… how did you do that without handseals?"

"Practice." Naruto replied as his summoned clone ran off. "My clone will tell your mother where you are. Hinata, you coming as well?"

"I… I'd like that." Hinata managed and Naruto closed his eyes for a moment.

"Oky, your dad just gave his approval, but warned me I needed to see you safely back afterwards. Let's go!"

"Wait a moment," Kiba said, totally confused, "How did you get her dad's permission so fast when you had to send a clone to my mom?"

"I'll tell you over the meal." Naruto grinned as he offered his arm to Hinata.

.

"Did you enjoy your dinner?"

Kiba nodded absently as he ambled in through the main gate of the Inuzuka compound, absently stroking the new metal bracer he wore on his left arm while Akamaru perched on his head. "Yeah, mom, it was good. I learned a lot about Naruto, did you know he can use his Kikkai to real-time communications?"

"I did." Tsume said with a slight smile. "I helped Maito Gai with some exercises for his students recently, they were using odd armlets to send messages to each other. Gai was kind enough to explain how they worked. So, you're probably teaming up with Naruto and Hinata, yes?"

Kiba nodded. "Yep. Naruto's got his super-deadly Kikkai, Hinata's got her Byakugan and I've got Akamaru, we'll be a perfect tracking team."

Tsume tilted her head slightly to one side. "Are you meeting up with them again before the teams are announced?"

"Tomorrow afternoon." Kiba said with a grin. "Naruto said something about showing me a new chakra-control exercise."

"Probably tree-climbing or water-walking." Tsume mused. "If it's tree-climbing, then when you get it down, I'll let you learn two more of the clan jutsu."

"I'll have it mastered in no time!" Kiba stated proudly, ignoring his mother's eye-roll.

* * *

.

**Test**

Hatake Kakashi, Jonin, former ANBU and the only non-Uchiha in Konoha officially known to possess the Sharingan, stared at the note stuck on the classroom door.

_Sensei Hatake Kakashi._

_After waiting a full hour for you, we decided that our time could be used more productively.  
We have therefore gone to training ground 7 to do some training and to improve our ability to work together._

_Please join us there once you get this note._

_Your future genin_

_Uzumaki Naruto (plus Hive)  
_ _Hyuuga Hinata  
_ _Inuzuka Kiba  
_ _Akamaru_ _**o** _

_(Team 7-to-be)_

Kakashi grinned wryly underneath his mask as he read the note, noting the paw-print by the final name.

"Something tells me that teamwork won't be a problem with these three."

.

Kakashi stared wide-eyed at the sight before him. His three future-genin (assuming that they passed his test) were there, but that wasn't what had shocked him. The two adults with them were heart-breakingly familiar, the blond man who was coaching Kiba through some exercises designed to enhance speed and reflexes while the red-headed kunoichi was using a blunt training sword to spar with Hinata, who was using chakra-coated palm strikes to block and redirect the blows. Off to one side, ten Naruto's were having a free-for-all, one in which they were somehow taking multiple blows without dispelling.

"Sensei."

Kakashi almost fell out of the tree, he hadn't sensed anyone approaching him. Looking round, his eye met the level gaze of yet _another_ Uzumaki Naruto.

"Come on, time for you to meet your team."

Almost in shock, Kakashi followed the blond onto the field. The Kushina and Minato look-alikes saw him coming and, after a few quick words to the children they were tutoring, walked over.

"Kashi-kun." The Kushina-lookalike smiled. "We've started them off for you."

"Kushina and I'll explain everything to you later, assuming the old monkey doesn't first." Said the one who looked just like Minato, then they both vanished in puffs of smoke from which several Kikkai emerged to fly to Naruto. For almost a minute, Kakashi remained motionless, then he shook himself back to reality.

"Okay, sorry I'm late…"

"Minato said you would be." Kiba said as he walked up. "He said that Obito's gift changed you, whatever that means."

Kakashi froze at the comment. Only a very few had ever learned how he had gained his Sharingan. Obito was dead, as was Minato, Itachi had given his approval and declared it a high-level clan secret and the Hokage wouldn't have told anyone.

Could it _really_ have been Minato? And if it had been, how?

"Sensei?"

Kakashi blinked, then stared at the trio in front of him.

The test. Right.

"Okay." Kakashi smiled, pulling out the alarm clock that he had purchased earlier that day and placing it on one of the three wooden posts in the middle of the training field. "The test begins. To pass the test, you must get a bell from me. As you can see, I have two of them."

"But there are four of us…" Kiba said slowly and Kakashi nodded.

"Well-spotted. Since the failure rate for these tests is on average two in three, I guess that means at least one of you will fail."

Kiba snarled, then paused as Naruto reached out and grabbed his shoulder. Kakashi frowned for a second, then shrugged and continued.

"Since I am a Jonin, that means you need to go all-out against me if you want to pass, so show me what you've got. Begin!"

.

"Urrrgh."

"They really got you, didn't they." A familiar voice chortled and Kakashi prised open his uncovered eye. The pale blur above him slowly resolved into Hiruzen smiling down at him.

"Urrrgh?"

"They cheated." Hiruzen smiled, sitting down beside the almost-paralyzed Kakashi. "Naruto got one of his Death Bite Beetles on you before the test, one that carried a fast-acting anesthetic rather than a lethal one. When you said to begin, he had his Kikkai bite you and knock you out. They took the bells and came to me, so I certified them as a team, then came out here to keep an eye on you until you recovered."

"Urrrgh. Urrr?"

"You should be able to move in another hour or two, at least according to the tests that Anko did when she helped Naruto and his Hive develop that ability." Sarutobi said, looking up at the clouds. "I gave them the rest of the afternoon off after checking their teamwork skills myself. Naruto and Hinata have almost perfect teamwork, Kiba is making progress. You have a good team."

"Urffhum."

Sarutobi pulled out his pipe and started putting tobacco in it.

"Naruto showed me something amazing today. Did you know that his parents placed a part of themselves into his seal? Apparently his Hive discovered this during the time he was in a coma last year. It was wonderful talking to Minato again. Although Kushina was _not_ happy with my decision to put Naruto in an orphanage, and I have the bruises to prove it."

"Hrrrhuummmrrr?"

"Naruto uses his unique Bunshin skill to bring them out. Did you know that he gave the Hyuuga clan the _Rasengan_ at his parent's request? Turns out that Minato and Hiashi had discussed linking the Hyuuga clan with the embryonic Namikaze clan, with the _Rasengan_ and a better version of the Caged Bird Seal as the dowry to be paid to the Hyuuga. Naruto gave both to them before graduating."

"Wrrrwwr?"

"The Rising Bird Seal. Hinata has it, as do several of the Main family _and_ the younger members of the Branch family now. I don't even pretend to understand it, but apparently it's far superior to the Caged Bird Seal, although it doesn't have the pain-inflicting part. Hiashi told me that he'll probably have all the Branch Hyuuga's seals changed by the end of the month."

Kakashi tried to sit up, but his body refused to obey him and he slumped back down. Swallowing, he tried to speak.

"Thaawazem? Natonshina?"

"The Kage Bunshins they placed in Naruto's seal, yes."

Kakashi managed to nod slightly.

"Thdwldexpn."

Hiruzen frowned and Kakashi tried again.

"Isawm. Theysedwuldepln. Bfrtst."

"They said they would explain." Hiruzen repeated and Kakashi nodded again. "They can probably explain better than I can, but I thought I'd better let you know it isn't a trick."

"Why didden eetelme?" Kakashi managed and Hiruzen laughed.

"Only a fool tells _all_ their secrets, Kakashi, and Naruto is no fool, no matter how he used to act like one. I think he only told _me_ because his parents decided that I needed to know…""

.

"Why are you even a _genin_?" Kiba asked between mouthfuls. "You should be a chunin at least. Heck, you should be a Jonin!"

"Nah, I need to truly learn teamwork first." Naruto shrugged. "Sure, some of my skills are Jonin-level and I'm one of the more lethal shinobi in Konoha, but if I can't work with others, that means _nothing_."

"I thought I was gonna be in a recon team." Kiba noted, "But a heavy combat team's pretty cool too. I'm gonna need to get some _serious_ jutsu under my belt, though."

"Hinata's already got one that lets her smash straight through walls." Naruto grinned, ignoring Hinata's blush. "Between her eyes, my Kikkai and your senses and bond with Akamaru, no-one'll be able to get close enough to take us down."

Naruto stopped eating and tilted his head slightly, then lifted his hand.

"Neji-san! Lee-senpai! Ten-chan! Gai-sensei! On a mission, or do you want to join us?"

Hinata and Kiba both turned to see Team 9 (aka Team Gai) walking towards them.

"Uzumaki, your situational awareness puts the Hyuuga to shame." Neji grumbled, although Hinata saw the slight upwards twitching at the corner of his mouth that indicated that he was in a good mood.

"Meh, your Kikkai always let me know where you are." Naruto said and Neji looked at his left arm, then sighed.

"I keep forgetting they're linked to you. Good afternoon, Hinata-sama."

"Neji-nii-san." Hinata quietly replied.

Neji nodded, then turned his attention back to Naruto. "Something occurred to me today during our mission. While your clones proved incredibly useful, as I'm certain you already know, just _how_ did you get them to us so fast?"

"How many clones? And when?" Hinata asked curiously.

"About seventy, at about eleven thirty."

Hinata gaped, then her eyes narrowed in thought, but Kiba beat her to it.

"Hey, I remember, you looked distracted for a moment, then you said it wasn't important."

Neji's eyes widened, his Byakugan active before he could regain control. "You created the Kage Bunshin _remotely_? I thought you'd shunshined them to us. How did you _do_ that?"

Naruto grinned in embarrasment. "Ah-hehehe. Um, you remember when I swapped out your arm communication bracers for new ones soon after I got out of the cocoon? Well, they kinda have the _Hiraishin_ seal in them. Since the Hive knows how to use Hiraishin thanks to my old man, we sent a group of bugs for me to use to create my Bunshin."

"You. Hiraishined. Your. Kikkai." Neji stated in shock. "Sweet Kamis above, you can _Hiraishin_ your Kikkai?! You can use your Kikkai to create _Kage Bunshin_ remotely?! If I _ever_ find myself going up against you, I'm forfeiting _instantly_. Is it just your Kikkai that can do it?"

Naruto grinned and vanished in a pale flash of yellow light, appearing instantaneously just in front of the older boy.

"Nope, I can… Neji? Neji! Neji, speak to us! _Neji_!"

"Wow." Kiba said, staring at the motionless, wide-eyed genin. "Naruto, I think you broke him."

Naruto spared Kiba a slight glare, then turned back to the cousin of his other team-mate.

"Neji? Neji, I… Hinata,can you come here? I have an idea on how to get him back."

Hinata walked over and Naruto whispered into her ear. Kiba watched curiously as Hinata blushed bright red, then nodded and hugged Naruto. A moment later, they kissed…

"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING TO MY COUSIN!"

"Welcome back, nii-san." Hinata smiled as she released Naruto and moved to hug the raging Hyuuga. Naruto stepped back as Neji glared at him, then Neji forcibly calmed himself and slowly returned Hinata's hug.

"Next time, please find a _different_ way to snap me back to reality." He sighed. "Hiashi-sama is going to _kill_ me for this."

"What?" Kiba asked. "Why?"

.

"So." Kakashi eye-smiled, "Congratulations. It's been _years_ since anyone managed to take _me_ down."

As the three genin looked slightly embarrassed, the two deceased adults laughed.

"And with my former sensei and his wife available, I'm almost superfluous to requirements." He continued.

"You know, we worked out the final few issues with the Hiraishin." Minato noted. "Now, Hinata-chan and Kiba-kun need to do a lot of work before they can hope to use it, but I think I can get you up to speed with it, once you get back into peak condition."

Kakashi blinked and Minato smirked as he accepted a scroll from Naruto. Unrolling it, he unsealed a dozen tri-pronged kunai, causing Kakashi to gulp.

"Now, the Hive was kind enough to let me use a dozen Kikkai to stabilise this _Bunshin_ , so I can take quite a few hits before dispelling." Minato said as he hefted the kunai. "All you have to do is land enough hits to dispel me. I'm sure that as a former ANBU, that shouldn't be too hard, hmmm?"

"In the meantime, I'll train the kids." Kushina laughed. "Good luck, Kashi-kun. I'll return them in two hours for their first mission.

Kakashi gulped as he drew his own kunai and adopted a defensive stance as the tri-pronged kunai embedded themselves around the training field.

"Is this really necessary, Sensei?" He asked nervously and Minato smirked, then vanished in a flash of yellow.

.

The pipe clattered onto the desk as Hinata entered the Hokage's office, a purring ball of fur in her arms.

"I… you… Tora… how?" Hiruzen managed after a few moments of shocked silence and Hinata smiled as she used one hand to tickle the cat under its chin.

"Hinata's good with animals." Naruto shrugged as Tora gave him the kind of _I am your superior and you will do what I want_ look that all cats seem to know.

Hiruzen nodded, then smirked at the sight of Kakashi limping in behind them, several spikes of his hair cut short and his clothing still shedding dust.

"Tora put up a bit of a fight then?" He asked and Kakashi grumbled under his breath.

"Don't worry, I know what really happened." Hiruzen smirked while tapping the crystal ball. "You've let yourself get rusty, Kakashi."

Kakashi glared at him for a long moment before sighing and nodding ruefully.

* * *

.

**Fuinjutsu**

Kakashi blinked at the sight of the tall, white-haired man standing in the office.

"Lord Jiraiya." He said slowly. "Welcome back."

"So, _you're_ the Pervy Sage." Naruto said from behind him and Jiraiya jolted as if stung while Hiruzen quickly raised his hand to cover his mouth.

"Wha… _who_ told you that?" Jiraiya demanded and Naruto grinned, a pair of Kikkai flying out from his collar to take position to either side of him.

" _Uzumaki Hijutsu: Clan Bunshin!_ "

Clouds of smoke engulfed the two Kikkai, quickly dissipating to reveal Minato and Kushina.

"Hey, Sensei." Minato grinned. "You look like you've seen a ghost. Sensei?"

A loud _thud_ announced that Jiraiya had fainted and Kakashi face-palmed before giving the Hokage an accusing glare.

"You didn't warn him, did you?"

Hiruzen chuckled, then nodded to the sunglasses-wearing man in the corner. "Naruto, please leave your parents here, then you three…"

Akamaru barked.

"… _four_ go with Tokubetsu Jonin Ebisu for todays D-rank. Kakashi, you stay as well."

.

"Damn." Jiraiya said as he looked at the bowl of Sake that he had forgotten. "That is one heck of a tale. Almost as weird as when I trained a user of the Rin'negan. So… why tell me _now_?"

"Because we need your help." Anko stated from the corner where she and Kushina had been whispering to each other. "They've been examining the seal that the bastard put on me and they've come up with a way to get rid of it. Only two problems. One, they don't have blood to use in the seal ink. Two, they don't know Sage Mode."

"Of course." Jiraiya realized slowly as he looked at his resurrected student. "I never taught it to you. I meant to, but before I could…"

"The Attack." Minato confirmed. "Sensei, this is part of the debt we owe Anko for looking after our son for us."

"Agreed." Jiraiya stated. "No charge. What have you come up with?"

"It's complicated." Kushina explained as Anko pulled a scroll out of her coat. Jiraiya took it and started to unroll it before pausing.

"Kami! This… this is… and these two are… Kushina, are you _really_ …?"

Anko glanced at Kushina in confusion as the bunshin-kunoichi nodded.

"I've already started training my son in Uzumaki-style sealing and I've had the old scrolls pulled out of the archives. Yes, old perv, you can study them afterwards, but only _study_ , not take."

"What?" Anko asked and Jiraiya closed his eyes for a moment, visibly re-centering himself.

"The technique that they're suggesting we should use includes at least _three_ of the most secret Uzumaki seals known to exist. Two of them, I hadn't even heard of, I had only deduced the probability of their existence from some of their other works."

"There are actually twelve of the Secret Seals." Kushina supplied, causing Jiraiya to stare at her as if she'd ripped off her face to reveal herself to be Orochimaru and then offered to help him develop a new spying technique. "What? How many did you know, and how?"

"Three, which I stole from Iwa. I knew _of_ two by deduction and suspected there was at least one more." Jiraiya finally replied. "Why?"

"Just curious." Kushina admitted. "So, shall we get started?"

.

"That's odd."

The other members of the team turned to look at Naruto curiously, then Ebisu adjusted his shades and coughed to attract attention.

"What is _odd_?"

"The Hive." Naruto said in confusion. "It's… _concentrating_ on something and has temporarily locked me out. It's only ever done that once before, and that was the Uchiha incident."

Ebisu swallowed nervously. "You don't think…"

"It's draining my chakra quite a bit as well." Naruto noted, his gaze unfocused. "I don't think I could make more than a half-dozen _Kage Bunshin_ at the moment."

"For most Jonin, that would indicate that they were at full strength." Ebisu said wryly. "However, we have a mission to complete, so let us continue to our destination."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And this is where I stopped due to changing the computer and shifting all my files, temporarily misplacing the ones you have just read.  
> Re-reading it, I can see I way overpowered Naruto with Hiraishin, Death-bite Kikkai, Rasengan, friendly Kurama (being re-balanced) and both his parents on-call to teach him everything else they knew. Nothing below a full deployment of the Akatsuki stands a chance of taking him down with all that…  
> So, yeah. Sorry, but this one is firmly in the Not Being Developed category.  
> .  
> The original concepts-  
> Naruto learns both Bug Clone and Shadow Clone.  
> Naruto learns Fox-style Taijitsu from Maito Gai, uses Hive to spy on the Aburame to learn Preying Mantis style.  
> Hive adopts use of Shadow Clone to provide short-lived swarm attacks.  
> Naruto combines Hive abilities and Shadow clones to create Shadow Clones with real-time telepathic link.  
> Naruto joins Academy one year early, in class with Neji, Tenten, Lee etc. Due to asassination attempt by Mizuki, Naruto misses graduation test and has to repeat final year. (changed to an Uchiha trying to kill him)  
> Hive examines Seal and finds Namikaze Minato Bunshin in inactive form. Uses Chakra-change to awaken Bunshin in mindscape and allow it to generate Bug-Shadow clone for realworld interaction.  
> Naruto learns Rasengan and Hiraishin from Minato Bunshin.  
> Further examination of seal uncovers Uzumaki Kushina Bunshin. Same as above, but Chakra Chains and Kenjitsu are taught.  
> Naruto beats out Sasuke for "Rookie of Year" title, placed on team 7 with Kiba (Dead Last) and Hinata as tracker team. Sasuke placed on team 8 with Sakura and Shino. (changed team 7 to tracker/heavy combat team)


	13. Power Of Anger

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story came about because there are so few Naruto/Hulk crossovers and so I decided to increase the number slightly.  
> However, after getting into Chapter 2, I realized I had essentially trodden the same path with Kitsune's Power, so I stopped and placed it here in the hopes it would inspire others.

**Prologue**

_-SHIELD report H-559150_

_-Subject: Bruce Banner/Hulk_

_-Location: Goodnews Bay (Alaska, USA, 59.07N 161.34E)_

_Subject Banner has been tracked to the city of Goodnews Bay where he purchased the house of a recently-deceased local (see file Z-151990 for details on individual in question).  
_ _Subject Banner proceeded to introduce himself as Doctor Bruce and proved his medical credentials by diagnosing one local who had an illness that the local doctor was unable to identify. Subject Banner then aided local doctor in procuring required medicine, exchanging medical knowledge in the process. Since local doctor was near retirement age, Subject Banner was recruited as new local doctor.  
_ _Subject Banner utilised basement of new house as lab, constructing equipment of designs previously not encountered by observer (see attached picture file BM1 for details). Power levels into house were noted as averaging 192% of normal power level for single-occupant.  
_ _After three months, power readings spiked briefly to 385% of normal usage, then dropped to 105%. At the time of the spike, sensors created by Reed Richards of the Fantastic Four and covertly placed around Subject Banner's home detected the brief formation of a Portal. Analysis of readings indicates the Portal was of a sort only capable of transporting energy, not matter. The purpose of the portal remains unknown._

_-Special Notes_

_Asset Reed Richards has identified one of the unknown machines as being superficially similar to the de-powering device he constructed during the early days of the Fantastic Four (for the use of Ben Grimm/The Thing). Said device overloaded beyond repair after two uses and Ben Grimm has since requested the machine not be rebuilt. It is unknown if or how Subject Banner gained access to the blueprints of the machine.  
_ _The sensors deployed around the house confirm that Subject Banner no longer possesses the internal gamma-ray circulatory system that he had possessed prior to the energy spike. Observers have noted Banner becoming angry on several occasions, in each case the transformation did_ _**not** _ _occur._

_-Conclusion_

_Subject Banner is no longer capable of transformation into the Hulk.  
_ _Subject Banner's active usefulness is now only as a scientist.  
_ _Due to advances in scientific departments of SHIELD, Subject Banner's status as an asset is rated only 2.4._

_-Suggestions_

_To make General Thaddeus Ross better disposed to SHIELD, Subject Banner's location could be divulged to him. Without the ability to transform into the Hulk, Subject Banner will be unable to escape or successfully resist. Once Subject Banner has been captured by General Ross, General Ross will be more capable of focussing on other potential threats, thus allowing him to be utilized in suppressing the insurgency led by Steve Rogers.  
_ _Once in captivity, Subject Banner can be interrogated for details of the machines he constructed including their purpose and whether or not they can be used to generate Gamma-enhanced operatives._

* * *

_._

_-Internal Memo_

_-SHIELD Headquarters_

_Banner is to be arrested and charged with treason for destroying a valuable asset (the Hulk).  
_ _Upon conviction, he is to be transported to Black-Lab 7 for full debriefing and interrogation prior to neurological re-calibration to instill total loyalty to SHIELD.  
_ _Special focus during interrogation is to be directed towards the utilization of Gamma Rays to induce meta-human capabilities._

* * *

_._

_-Internal Memo_

_-SHIELD Headquarters_

_Banner was captured as planned, but was removed from custody during transit by forces loyal to the traitor Steve Rogers.  
_ _At present, Banner's location remains unknown._

* * *

.

**The Sealing**

The rampaging monster howled, the sound echoing through the woodlands and causing many of the shinobi semi-concealed in the branches to wince or even briefly cover their ears.

"Hold the line!" Sarutobi shouted as he motioned for the fifteenth squad to move left. "I want walls to trip it up and check for any civilians still in the area! Where the hell are the Uchiha? We need the Sharingan users, one of them might be able to control it like Madara did!"

The ground shattered as the Kyuubi slammed its paw down and Sarutobi rode the resulting groundwave, using it to power himself into the waving trees and anchoring himself with a reflexive use of chakra.

"Where's Minato?" He asked the Anbu who had materialized by his side.

"He's getting his equipment."

Sarutobi leapt off the branch just as another howl from the Kyuubi caused it to shatter.

"He'd better hurry, we're losing too many of our shinobi!"

The nearby impact of one of the Akamichi clan who had tried to use his expansion-jutsu to uppercut the Kyuubi and received a tail-slam that knocked him off his feet went almost un-noticed except as a mental note that the Konoha forces had suffered yet another casualty.

"Kunai barrage!" Sarutobi commanded and a veritable wall of pointy metal hurtled towards the Kyuubi's head, only to be harmlessly deflected by yet another roar.

"Where the hell are you, Minato?" Sarutobi whispered, then his question was answered by the appearance of a gigantic toad, almost as large as the nine-tailled monster. Perched atop its head was the familiar figure of the Hokage and from his position, Sarutobi could see that he was holding something in his arms.

"Minato… what are you doing?"

His answer came an instant later when space seemed to warp and twist before snapping back showing that Minato, Gamabunta and the Kyuubi had all vanished.

"Start evacuating the wounded and get sentries posted!" Sarutobi ordered, then he looked at the shattered wreckage that marked where a healthy forest had been mere hours previously.

"I hope you have a plan, Minato." He whispered, then a net of chakra chains lashed out from a distant cave just as the Kyuubi appeared in exactly the right position to be caught. A glow of white light built up, engulfing the restrained Biju, then it suddenly flared green before it faded to reveal that the Kyuubi was no longer there.

.

_Fuuinjutsu is one of the least-practiced skills of the Shinobi._

_A skilled Fuuinjutsu Master is almost unbeatable on the battlefield if he has had time to prepare. Seals can, with enough preparation, do almost anything.  
They can create pocket dimensions to store things in.  
They can siphon off chakra, store it and then use it to replenish a person's chakra reservoirs.  
Anchoring genjutsus, changing battlefields, summoning, explosions… the only true limit is the imagination._

_But Fuuinjutsu is notoriously difficult to understand._

_At the basic levels, it is easy.  
Storage scrolls, explosive tags, these can be created by anyone who has a steady hand and training in calligraphy._

_The more complex seals, though, are an entirely different level of difficulty.  
At the level of Master, the seals warp space, time and reality itself to perform their designed tasks.  
The interaction between different Seals can range from unnoticeable to a localized reality-storm where anyone who enters may not be the same shape if they actually manage to leave._

_The act of twisting reality can cause other effects. The Seal that imprisoned the Kyuubi into the body of the Fourth Hokage's Son was a work of art, even by Seal standards.  
Every brush stroke had been perfect. Every line of ink placed exactly right._

_But the Seal had acted in other dimensions as well.  
And part of it had existed at exactly the right time and place in the realm between realities to intercept a bolt of energy._

_The Seal did its job and the energy was contained._

_But the effects would shake the world._

.

Feeling every single year of his age (and then more besides), Sarutobi Hiruzen slowly sat down behind the desk that he had once happily handed responsibility for to his successor and now was forced to reclaim. Glancing across, his gaze came to rest on the small basket that held the only living being found in the cave. Discovered cradled in the arms of his deceased parents and with the corpse of Hiruzen's wife Biwako near the entrance, Namikaze Naruto lay quietly, only the occasional soft murmur showing that he was asleep and not dead.

"What can I do?" Hiruzen sighed sadly, looking at the innocent child.

Silence was his only answer and Hiruzen looked at the pile of papers that had been placed on his desk, the papers holding the list of the injured or slain.

"Is that the new vessel?" A voice intruded and Hiruzen looked up to see Utatane Koharu entering, her gaze fixed on Naruto. Behind her, Mitokado Homura finished cleaning his glasses and donned them once more.

"We need you to take the Hat." He stated calmly. "Our enemies will be moving against us, we need you back as Hokage."

"I know." Hiruzen sighed. "I had hoped that… yes. I will hold the Hat… for now."

Homura followed Hiruzen's glance and his eyebrows lifted.

"Is that…?"

"Namikaze Naruto." Hiruzen confirmed.

"Are you _trying_ to get him killed?" Koharu snapped, spinning to scowl at him. "You let him have his father's name, he won't live to see his first birthday!"

"He needs a clan name." Hiruzen protested. "Without one, he'll never be allowed to follow in his father's footsteps."

"You see him as a future Hokage? Already?" Homura asked curiously and Hiruzen started to answer, only to be interrupted.

"Uzumaki Naruto." Koharu declared. "While his mother was a troublemaker, prankster and _not_ capable of being quiet, she was still the last true Uzumaki and since he doesn't have her red hair, everyone outside Konoha will decide that we simply named him that to honor the Uzumaki clan."

Hiruzen sighed again, but slowly nodded in agreement.

"We need to keep him hidden." Homura mused. "Obscurity would be the best bet. Treat him like any other orphan, but keep a few ANBU nearby to ensure that no-one attempts to harm him."

"Or I can hide him for you." A new voice spoke and all three adults turned to see the one-eyed leader of ROOT entering. "I can have him raised as the perfect weapon, using the power of the Kyuubi for the good of Konoha."

"How did you know of the beast sealed within him?" Hiruzen demanded, his insides congealing as the magnitude of the potential disaster looming ahead of him registered.

"The news is all over the village." Danzo countered. "I heard it from three different people on my way here."

"Then I have no choice." Hiruzen declared. "As Hokage, I hereby declare that as from dawn tomorrow, it shall be treason for anyone to discuss Naruto's burden with one who does not know. The only exceptions to this law shall be myself as Hokage, or whosoever takes the position after myself, and Naruto himself. ANBU! Spread the word that I shall make an announcement at sunset… and that _everyone_ should be there!"

.

_The Hokage's Law prevented parents from telling their children about the burden placed on young Uzumaki Naruto, but it did not stop them from warning their offspring to avoid the blond orphan._

_In an attempt to try and give the Fourth's son a chance at a decent life, Hiruzen arranged for Naruto to receive his own apartment and a regular stipend.  
Hiruzen's old friend Teuchi and his daughter Ayame agreed to keep an eye out for Naruto and in return, Hiruzen gave them the deeds to the property they were renting for their Ramen stand as well as a regular infusion of cash towards the food that they gave Naruto, food that Teuchi often covertly slipped powdered ANBU vitamin-pills into to help Naruto remain healthy._

_And so Naruto grew over the years, doing his utmost to remain cheerful despite how often people turned away from him or simply ignored him and he never once lost his temper._

_Until the events after his failure to graduate from the Academy once again…_

* * *

.

**Chapter One**

**A Chance To Pass**

Naruto stared dejectedly at the pair of dead-looking clones flanking him. Despite all his hard work, his attempt to push as much chakra into the clones as possible to stop them collapsing the instant that they formed, he had once again failed.

"Naruto…" Iruka said, his voice commiserating yet firm, "You fail."

Naruto sagged in dismay, then the second Chunin behind the teacher's desk spoke.

"Iruka, it's obvious that he's tried really hard. Perhaps we should let him pass…"

"No, Mizuki, we can't." Iruka sighed. "Naruto, the _Bunshin_ is one of the most basic techniques used in the field. If you can't perform it, all of the other techniques will be out of your reach and that would mean that when you go on your first true mission, you won't be able to defend yourself and you'll end up putting not only yourself but your entire team in danger. I can't allow you to become a shinobi until I know that you have the ability to perform as one. I'm sorry."

The clones finally expired in a large cloud of smoke and Naruto trudged out of the room. Turning away from the classroom where the others had been waiting for their turns and had returned to with their Hitai-ates that proclaimed them to be Genin, he made his way down the stairs and out into the practice field where he sat on the tree swing.

How had he failed? He had pushed as much chakra as he could into the _Bunshin_. There was no way that it should have failed like that, but it had and, for the fourth time, he had failed the test.

"How can I become Hokage if I can't even pass the first test?" He whispered to himself, then he glanced at the nearby gate where the parents of the other students were entering to collect their offspring and congratulate those who had passed. Several of them glanced at him and even though they were quite a distance away, Naruto could hear their comments.

" _It's a good thing they didn't let_ it _graduate."  
_ " _What were they thinking of, letting a_ thing _like that try to become a ninja?"  
_ " _I don't even know_ why _they let it stay_ in _Konoha."_

Closing his eyes, Naruto concentrated on blocking out the hurtful comments, then he heard rustling above his head. Opening his eyes, Naruto looked up to see a very familiar figure perched in the tree branches above him.

"Mizuki-Sensei?"

"Naruto, listen carefully." The silver-haired chunin whispered. "I've talked to Iruka and he's agreed that you can try the _other_ test, the practical skills one."

"What test?" Naruto asked, confused but with rising joy. He was going to become a Shinobi!

"It's a test that shows that you have the skills that Shinobi need. It's harder than the classroom test, but Iruka and I think you'll be able to do it. After all, you can be very sneaky when you want to be."

Naruto grinned at the compliment.

"The test is one of infiltration. We've replaced the large scroll in the Hokage's office with the scroll that you need to collect. Simply take the scroll to the wooden cabin near training ground twenty-seven where Iruka or myself will meet with you. If you want extra credit and a chance to show up Sasuke, learn one of the techniques from the scroll as well, but you'll only have a few hours at best. The test begins at dusk and finishes at midnight. Interested?"

"Yeah!" Naruto exulted. "I'll do it!"

"Remember, it starts at dusk and you need to set off from your apartment at that point." Mizuki said. "And Naruto? Good luck."

Mizuki vanished in a small spiral of leaves and chakra smoke as Naruto grinned.

"Gotta get home and prepare!" He muttered to himself as he rolled off the swing, coming to his feet in a smooth motion. "I'm gonna pass this with flying colors!"

.

The window to the Hokage's office was plastered with _fuuinjutsu_. Any attempt to use chakra to open it would be rewarded with a blast of _raiton_ , causing the intruder to fall. The area around the window had special seals to reverse the effect of any attempt to use the tree-walking technique. When tested, it launched the shinobi in question straight through the bedroom window of a kunoichi who was in the middle of getting changed, resulting in a brief, albeit not-quite-PG-rated sword-fight.

As a side note, the two quickly made up and then bonded over their shared love of kenjutsu.

What the designer overlooked was the possibility of someone breaking in _without_ the use of chakra.

A simple rope and a knife to unhook the latch were all that Naruto required to enter the office where he often talked to his grandfather-figure (and even wore the Hat on special occasions).

"Scroll." He whispered to himself. "Scroll… ah-ha! Up there, but how do I… the chair!"

Picking up the chair, Naruto placed it by the shelving unit and scrambled up, reaching out and flipping open the latch that held the glass display case closed. Rolling the scroll out of its holding brackets, he carefully stepped down, then glanced at the window.

"No way am I going to be able to climb back up with this." He muttered to himself. "And the rope was only just long enough to get to the window… gonna have to go go through the tower to get out… I think the back stairs would be best."

Using the cord attached to the ends of the scroll to sling it over his back, Naruto sidled to the door. Opening it a crack, he peeped out and then slid into the corridor, closing the door silently behind him.

"Naruto?"

Naruto cursed as he heard the familiar voice. He was so close, he couldn't get caught now!

"Sorry, Jiji, but I gotta do this. _Orioke no Jutsu_!"

.

Iruka blearily staggered to the door of his flat. Opening it, it took him several seconds to recognize Mizuki.

"Hu? Wadizzi?"

"Iruka, Naruto took failing harder than we expected! He's stolen the Forbidden Scroll and fled!" Mizuki snapped and Iruka stared in shock at him, eyes wide and adrenaline flooding his body.

"What?"

"One of the ANBU said they spotted him briefly, heading north-east!" Mizuki continued. "He thinks he may be trying to defect to Kumo!"

"Dammit!" Iruka cursed. "That would be the logical place for him to flee to, they're still in our bad books from the Hyuuga incident _and_ their Jinchuuriki is their Raikage's adopted brother!"

"I'll get after him, you rouse the others!" Mizuki ordered, then he vanished in a swirl of leaves. Iruka dashed back into his flat and started pulling on his uniform.

"Dammit, Naruto." He growled as he hopped on one foot, jamming his sandal on. "What the hell were you _thinking_? Wait, I can still track him…"

.

' _That's the distraction set in motion.'_ Mizuki smirked as he sprinted across the rooftops. _'They'll search one way while I go the other with the scroll, then when they_ do _figure out that I've tricked them, they'll follow my trail to the coast and think I'm heading to Suna while Orochimaru-sama's boat takes me round to the North so I can cut through the Land of Hot Springs and join him in Otogakure. All is proceeding according to plan. Now to set the final few parts in motion, then I can collect the scroll.'_

.

Naruto sat slumped against the wooden shack, a tired but triumphant grin on his face as he slowly rolled the scroll back up and re-fastened it.

"Hah." He whispered to himself. "No more worrying about the damned _Bunshin_ when I've got the _Kage Bunshin_ instead! Who needs illusions when you can get solid clones? This'll get me to Rookie of the Year once I show Iruka and Mizuki."

.

Concentrating hard, Iruka let his senses _reach_ out and after a long moment, his eyes snapped open.

" _There_ you are." He whispered. "All right, time to find out what you're playing at, Naruto!"

.

' _And that's the last of Konoha's Hunter-nin heading in the wrong direction.'_ Mizuki thought triumphantly. _'All I need do now is kill the demon brat and escape with the scroll and I'll finally be elevated to Jonin by Orochimaru-sama.'_

.

"Naruto! What are you doing?"

"Ah!" Naruto jolted from almost-asleep to fully-awake. "Wha…? Ah, Iruka-Sensei! I did it! See, here's the Scroll you and Mizuki-Sensei asked me to fetch _and_ I've managed to learn the first technique on it… you're early… It's not even eleven yet… hey, do I get extra points for finishing the mission with an hour to spare?"

Iruka blinked as he frantically re-thought his assumptions, comparing what Naruto was babbling about with the statement Mizuki had made earlier. No matter how he twisted the latter, it didn't fit with Naruto's excited outburst and he _knew_ that Naruto was almost constitutionally incapable of lying…

Which meant…

"Naruto…" Iruka started to say, then his ears picked up the familiar sound of a Fuuma Shuriken being hurled through the air. "Watch out!"

Naruto yelped as Iruke grabbed him into a protective hold, then Iruka bit back a scream of pain as his back was pierced by the giant throwing weapon.

"Wha… Mizuki?" Naruto half-whispered, his eyes wide and Iruka looked round to see his teaching assistant perched on one of the branches overlooking the small clearing, his second Fuuma Shuriken held ready to throw.

"You _had_ ti interfere, Iruka." Mizuki growled. "Of course, this makes things even better. I'll kill you both, then take the demon brat's body with me to make everyone think that _he_ killed you because you tried to stop him leaving with the scroll."

"You… traitor…" Iruka ground out even as he channeled chakra to close the blood vessels that the Shuriken had pierced.

"Why?" Naruto gasped and Mizuki sneered.

"Why? Why am I doing this? Why does everyone in Konoha hate you? Well, you may as well find out before you die. You see, twelve years ago, Konoha was attacked by a giant monster…"

"Mizuki! It's forbidden to talk about that!" Iruka shouted despite the pain he was in.

"So what?" Mizuki shot back. "Anyway, the Kyuubi attacked Konoha and was defeated by the Fourth Hokage, who sealed it into the form of a small child.

"You!

"You are the Nine-tails!"

"You're lying!" Naruto shouted. "You're lying!"

"You're _not_ the fox, you're its prison!" Iruka managed, then he lurched to one side as Mizuki hurled the second Shuriken at him. "You protect Konoha by holding it prisoner!"

"Shut up!" Mizuki yelled as he pulled out a kunai and dropped from the tree. "You've said too much and now you will die and Orochimaru will reward me for my actions!"

"You hurt Iruka-Sensei." Naruto stated and both Shinobi looked at him. Narotu straightened up, his eyes closed. "You _hurt_ Iruka-Sensei!"

"So?" Mizuki laughed. "What do you think you're going to… do… your eyes…"

Iruka gasped as Naruto opened his eyes. Instead of being blue as they normally were, his eyes had turned into a green so intense that they were almost glowing.

"You. Hurt. Iruka. Sensei."

Mizuki lunged forwards, only to have his fist caught by Naruto. For a moment, Naruto glared into Mizuki's eyes, then he flexed his arm and hurled Mizuki into a tree, embedding the traitorous shinobi into the trunk.

"You! Hurt! Iruka! Sensei!"

Fabric ripped as Naruto stalked forwards, his muscles flexing and expanding. His trousers tore as Naruto grew and Iruka blinked several times to check that he wasn't imagining the boy's skin darkening into a green coloration.

Mizuki managed to pries himself out of the dent he had made and pulled out another kunai before pausing at the sight of his victim looming over him.

"…demon…" He managed, then Naruto swung a fist that sent Mizuki back into the depression he had created and out the other side in a blizzard of splinters. The second tree offered only a little more resistance but the boulder behind _that_ stopped his unplanned flight.

"No hurt Iruka-Sensei!" Naruto growled as he stomped forwards towards the unconscious traitor. "Smash you!"

"Naruto!" Iruka called as he managed to lever the shuriken out of his back. "Naruto… I need help…"

Naruto paused, then turned. "Help Iruka? How?"

"I need to get to the hospital." Iruka gasped as the injury sent another spike of agony through him.

"Iruka to hospital?" Naruto repeated, then he bent and grabbed Mizuki by one leg before half-running to Iruka, bouncing Mizuki's head across the ground. "Iruka needs hospital!"

"Careful!" Iruka hissed as Naruto picked him up carefully, holding him in one arm. "Okay, now put Mizuki over your shoulder and grab that scroll, then we can get moving…"

* * *

.

**Chapter Two**

**Decisions**

Hiruzen glanced through the doorway at the sleeping form of the boy he had come to see as a surrogate grandson.

A boy who now topped just over six feet tall and was green.

"And he was _bigger_ than this? Are you certain?"

"I am." Iruka said from his wheelchair. "When he took down Mizuki, he was close to nine feet tall. He was still over seven feet tall when we arrived at the hospital."

Hiruzen glanced down the corridor to the high-security room at the end, where two ANBU stood guard. Even though the door was closed, his memory supplied the image of Mizuki lying on the bed, over half the bones in his body broken or pulverized to the point that short of Tsunade returning and performing what would be, even for her, a miracle, his career as a Shinobi was now over even without the charges of treason leveled against him.

"What shall I do with you, Naruto?" Hiruzen sighed, looking at the sleeping boy once again. "What happened to you? And how shall I explain it to everyone?"

Iruka coughed to get Hiruzen's attention.

"We could pass it off as a bloodline, I mean everyone knows Naruto's an orphan, so who's to say that he didn't have an ancestor who he inherited this ability from? And as for _what_ it is, from how he carried me to here, he's stronger than Maito Gai, able to jump huge distances and from how he smashed through that tree, he's very, very tough. Of course, we still need to find out what he learned from the Scroll."

Hiruzen nodded thoughtfully. "When he wakes up, I'll have a long talk with him. I suspect he learned the first technique on the scroll, the _Kage Bunshin_. If he has, he _will_ become a Genin."

Iruka smiled. "Good. He deserves it, after all he's been through."

"I'll have to have someone spar with him, get a feel for how tough he is." Hiruzen added. "What?"

"He… his _taijutsu_ isn't very good." Iruka admitted. "He didn't really pay attention to the demonstrations."

"Given his chakra levels, I'm amazed he was even able to sit through _half_ of each lesson." Hiruzen chuckled. "You must have _really_ impressed him if he managed to sit through a _full_ lesson."

"Chakra levels?" Iruka repeated, then he paled. "So _that_ 's why he couldn't do the _Bunshin_!"

Hiruzen paused. "You… did read his file, didn't you? I'm certain that it was mentioned…"

"I was told it was classified by… Mizuki…"

Hiruzen face-palmed. "Looks like I need to add more charges against that traitor."

.

Hiruzen smiled up at Naruto as he was escorted into his office by Ibiki. Since his normal outfit no longer fitted, Naruto was now clad in ANBU-style sandals, trousers and vest with a sleeveless orange Haori over the top. His forehead was still adorned by his goggles, acting to hold his hair back and Hiruzen covertly twitched his hand, checking that the Hitai-ate in his sleeve hadn't fallen out.

"Hello, Naruto." He said in greeting, waving for Naruto to be seated. "Ibiki, you have the results?"

The scarred man handed over a file that Hiruzen opened and leafed through.

"Hmmm, low levels of writing skill… problems with reading comprehension? You'll need to work on that, Naruto. Being Hokage involves a _lot_ of paperwork. Low taijutsu… _Kage Bunshin_ … has Ibiki explained the details of that technique to you?"

Naruto nodded and opened his mouth, only to close it again as Ibiki gave him a warning glance.

"Chakra control low… but I see Ibiki has started you on tree-walking and water-walking."

"I have two of my own clones overseeing a dozen of his." Ibiki interjected.

"Umm-hmm, very good. Strength increases when angry… is this accurate?"

Ibiki nodded and Hiruzen's eyebrows briefly vanished under his hat.

"Speed… agility… reflexes… I see. Wind element… Yes. Very good."

Hiruzen slowly closed the file and looked at Naruto.

"I'll be blunt." Hiruzen stated. "You need a _lot_ of remedial training. True, you could probably pound anyone into the ground in a straight fight, but Shinobi almost _never_ fight like that. I had hoped to place you on a team, but you need far more individual attention than a normal Jonin-Sensei could provide if we are to overcome your weaknesses and get you to the level I know you can reach."

Naruto stared at Hiruzen, hope dawning and Hiruzen flicked the Hitai-ate to Naruto, smiling as the boy snagged it out of the air.

"Your Sensei will meet you outside your front door at eight tomorrow morning."

"Thanks, Jiji!" Naruto half-yelled, then he sat back down quickly as Ibiki quirked an eyebrow at him. "…sorry."

.

Naruto opened the door and paused at the sight of the man waiting for him. Although he vaguely remembered having seen him before (the twisted scar across his nose and covering part of his left cheek being highly recognisable), but he couldn't remember his name.

"Uzumaki Naruto?"

"Yes?"

"That is _Yes, Sensei_ or _Yes, Sir_ from this point on." The man stated. somehow managing to loom over Naruto despite the fact that they were the same height. "I am Tokubetsu Jonin Namiashi Raido, you will refer to me as Raido-Sensei. Understand?"

"Yes… Raido-Sensei!" Naruto quickly added as Raido glared at him.

"Good. I will do my best to train you to a level I deem to be adequate. We will be performing missions with other teams, but for the first week, I will be overseeing your training. Morino Ibiki was kind enough to inform me about your strengths and weaknesses, so I know what to concentrate on. Now, get ready and follow me."

Naruto pulled on his sandals and grabbed his Kunai pouch, attaching it to his leg as Raido watched. Dashing outside, he closed the door behind him and Raido nodded in approval.

"For the first day, that was acceptable. I expect you to be fully ready and waiting by eight from now on."

" _Hai_ , Raido-Sensei!"

"Good. Now, follow me." Raido commanded as he moved towards the stairs. As they descended, Raido continued talking.

"Since Ibiki has already informed you of the memory-aspect of Kage Bunshin, be aware that we will be using it. I have recruited two others to aid for the first week, you _will_ give them your full attention. At the end of the week, I will decide if you have advanced enough to begin taking missions. You do not want to disappoint me."

"No, Raido-Sensei!" Naruto gulped.

"Excellent. Now, we are… Good morning, Yuhi-san. Heading to the Academy to collect your team?"

"I am." the black-haired woman replied as she fell into step with Raido, casting a glance back at Naruto. "Is that…?"

"Naruto, this is Jonin Yuhi Kurenai. Yuhi-san, meet Genin Uzumaki Naruto." Raido confirmed. "I'll be training him up this week, but after that, perhaps we could do some co-operative missions. I know that my _genjutsu_ skills are nowhere near as good as yours while I can still beat you with _kenjutsu_."

"Your knowledge of poisons could prove valuable to my Genin as well." Kurenai mused. "Shall we discuss schedules at the end of the week?"

"I would appreciate it." Raido confirmed. "Good luck."

"Same to you. I'll ask Asuma along as well." Kurenai smiled before she seemed to ripple and vanish into thin air. Raido sighed.

"Show off." he grumbled.

"You're just jealous." Kurenai's voice floated back to them.

"She has a point, you know." A new voice said and Raido jolted before turning to glare at the silver-haired man who had silently joined them and was reading a book while he walked.

"Dammit, Kakashi!" He growled. "Don't _do_ that! You almost got a blade in your belly."

"Meh, meh. If you ever manage to stab me, I will have deserved it." The man replied with a wave of his hand. "So, who's your friend?"

"I'm surprised you don't recognise him, Kakashi." Raido smirked. "Jonin Hatake Kakashi, this is Genin Uzumaki Naruto."

Kakashi froze, staring at Naruto. "Wha…? Bu…? How?"

"Officially, _Kekkei Genkei_." Raido stated. "Unofficially, speak to the Hokage."

"I think I'd better." Kakashi said, slipping his book into a pocket. "At least I wasn't in a rush to collect my team. See you round."

A brief flurry of leaves engulfed the tall shinobi and when it cleared, he was gone.

"What just happened?" Naruto asked.

.

Hyuuga Hinata looked around again, feeling disappointment rising.

She had heard from one of the Branch Family that Naruto had failed the test again and his absense seemed to confirm it. Instead, a new boy was sat in his place, a boy dressed in black and with incredibly pale skin tha was almost albino-like.

"Good morning, Genin." Iruka smiled as he walked in, only a bit of stiffness giving away the fact that he had taken an injury recently.

"Good morning, Iruka-Sensei!" The class responded (except for the newcomer), then Hinata raised her hand.

"Yes, Hinata?"

"Gomen… but what happened to Naruto?"

"He passed." Iruka said with a strange smile which seemed almost bittersweet. "However, due to highly unusual circumstances, he is being taken as an apprentice by a Jonin-Sensei for one-on-one tutoring. In fact, he started this morning."

"What?" Ino and Sakura chorused before looking at each other in shock.

"There are extenuating circumstances and I have it on good authority that he will be training alongside some of you in the future." Iruka stated, causing Hinata to sag in relief. "Now, as for your teams, I have the list here. Teams one to six are being assigned in the other classrooms, so we shall start with team seven under Jonin Hatake Kakashi. Team Seven consists of Uchiha Sasuke, Sai and Haruno Sakura."

"Yes!" Sakura exulted as she lunged to her feet. "Take that, Ino-Pig! True love triumphs!"

"True love is a howler monkey?" Sai asked pseudo-innocently, causing Sakura to shrink into herself while Ino chuckled. A grunt of amusement sounded from Sasuke and Sakura slunk back into her seat, totally humiliated.

"Team eight is Aburame Shino, Inuzuka Kiba and Hyuuga Hinata." Iruka continued, hiding his amusement. "Since team nine is still active, team ten are Nara Shikamaru, Yamanaka Ino and Akamichi Choji."

"Urgh, I get the lazy bum and the f… his sidekick." Ino grumbled, changing her sentence midway through as Choji glared at her.

"Now that you are all Shinobi, you will be held to a higher standard." Iruka lectured. "You will be required to obey the commands of your superiors. Failure to do so could be seen as treason, leading to the revocation of privileges in extreme circumstances."

"Such as?" Kiba asked curiously.

"Freedom, movement or breathing." Iruka stated, remembering the last time he had seen Mizuki. "You are Shinobi now, that means you are _treated_ as Shinobi and must comport yourselves accordingly."

The silence in the classroom was most gratifying, but it was interrupted by the door opening to reveal a pair of Jonin.

.

"Ah, Kakashi. Shouldn't you be picking up your team?" Hiruzen asked as the silver-haired Jonin swung in through the window.

"Naruto isn't on my team." Kakashi said in a tone which, for anyone else, could easily have been mistaken for a sulk. "Why? I asked for him."

"He hadn't passed when the teams were assigned and you're needed to oversee the last Uchiha." hiruzen said, sending a significant glance at the eye which Kakashi kept covered by his Hitai-ate. "his loyalty rating is far lower than I'd like it to be, he's overly focused on killing his brother."

"Fine." Kakashi sighed. "But what about the change I saw in Naruto?"

"We're still trying to work it out." Hiruzen admitted. "One of the ANBU Hyuuga reports seeing flashes of green in his chakra, and _not_ medical-green."

"Green?" Kakashi repeated. "But… isn't his burden linked with the color red?"

"It is." Hiruzen agreed. "Hence the mystery…"

* * *

_._

**Collected Scenelets**

.

_Wave Mission 1_

Ino's jaw dropped as Naruto lunged forwards towards the two attacking nuke-nin, seeming to grow as he did so, his skin turning green in the process.

"He's lost control of the _Henge_ again." She heard Raido-Sensei sigh as Naruto, now over seven feet tall, unleashed a punch that launched one of the ninja into the air, the second one being dragged along by the sharp chain connecting their gauntlets. As they crashed back down onto the ground, Naruto grabbed the middle of the chain and swung both shinobi up and over, slamming them into the ground again.

"Enough." Raido stated as he walked across to the unconscious enemies. "Hmmm, the Demon Brothers. Now who were they after?"

"Tazuna." Asuma stated. "What? You can't be part of the Twelve Guardian Shinobi without picking up the ability to tell who attackers are trying to get to. So, Tazuna, why were these two after you?"

Ino tuned out the conversation as she watched Naruto, now back down to just over six feet tall, sigh as he peeled off the tattered remains of his vest, revealing the most honed body she had ever seen.

"Ino, stop drooling."

"Shut it, Shika!"

_._

_._

_Wave Mission 2_

"What is it?" Gato growled as a familiar figure appeared in the doorway.

"There are _two_ Jonin accompanying the target." Zabuza growled. "I'm good, but one of them is Sarutobi Asuma, former member of the Twelve Guardian Shinobi. He's a match for me and with a second Jonin backing him up… I'm going to need backup."

"You already have backup." Gato shot back, motioning to the doorway where Haku was standing. Zabuza snorted.

"Haku can deal with the four Genin , but he isn't good enough to take down a Jonin yet, even _with_ his special skills. On the other hand, I know of someone currently nearby who can help us."

"Fine, but it's coming from your pay." Gato snarled. Zabuza just glared at him before turning and stomping out.

.

"So, why do you need my help?" Kurosuki Raiga asked as he passed a bowl of stew to the young boy sat beside him.

"I need to kill a bridge builder named Tazuna, but he's got protection." Zabuza stated, tossing a worn booklet across to Raiga, who snagged it out of the air. "Pages one-fifty-three and one-sixty-two."

Raiga leafed through the booklet, then raised his eyebrows.

"One of the surviving Twelve Shinobi _and_ a member of the Yondaime Hokage's Guard Squad?" He asked rhetorically. "Sarutobi Asuma is listed as having fire and air as his elements… that would put me at a disadvantage."

"But I can take him." Zabuza stated. "I need you to take out the second one. He uses _kenjutsu_ , so that'll leave him vulnerable to your skills."

"It _is_ hard to keep fighting when a lightning blast goes down your blade." Raiga smirked. "You'll need to use that mist of yours."

"You don't do well in the mist, remember?"

"That was before I got the use of another set of eyes. Isn't that right, Ranmaru?"

The sickly-looking boy nodded as he smiled up at the former swordsman.

"So, when do we take them down?"

"Tomorrow. Haku will deal with the Genin."

.

_Battle of the Bridge_

The first sign Zabuza had that things weren't going as planned was the almost-inhuman roar that sent ripples through the mist.

The second was the sound of something shattering.

The third was the body of Haku slamming into him, the impact lifting him off his feet.

"Shit!" He heard the second Konoha Jonin curse. "Naruto's got angry!"

Zabuza shook his head as he sat up, setting the moaning Haku gently on the ground, then he rose to his feet, dismissing the mist so that he could see what had happened.

On the far end of the bridge, three bodies lay motionless with ice senbon embedded in them, but Zabuza could see at a glance that they were still alive.

Haku hated killing, which was why Zabuza had assigned the secondary targets to him.

One glance was all that he could spare, though, as the majority of his attention was focused on the eight-foot-tall green troll rampaging towards him.

"Naruto, the masked swordsman's the bad guy! He's the one who gave the orders!" Raido shouted as he dodged the lightning-edged twin blades that Raiga was using. "Asuma, a little help here?"

Zabuza blinked as his opponent disengaged and moved to flank Raiga, then he had to leap backwards as a giant green fist slammed down into the space he had just vacated.

The fist slammed into the bridge's paving and Zabuza gaped in shock as it was withdrawn to reveal a crater through which the water below could be seen. Dashing forwards, he swung his blade in a perfect decapitation strike.

"Ow!"

Shaking his hands to try and get feeling back into them, Zabuza backed away, trying to move towards his weapon. While his adversary was tough enough that he couldn't be cut, enough blunt-force trauma would take _anyone_ down.

"No-brows try to hurt Naruto. No-brows _kill_ Naruto's _friends_!" The titan growled and Zabuza swallowed as he realized that his adversary was now almost _ten_ feet tall and even more muscled than before, although his clothing was reduced to bare rags as they hadn't kept up with his transformation. "Naruto _smash_!"

Zabuza grabbed his sword and made a quick tactical decision.

.

Raiga had just enough time to see Zabuza fling himself over the edge of the bridge before a blast of burning ash hit him in the face. An instant later, a knife severed his spine and he died hearing Ranmaru's wail of grief.

.

_Return From Wave_

"Quite a mission." Hiruzen commented as he finished skimming the report and looked up at the group in front of him. In addition to Raido, Naruto and team ten, there were two others. One was a feminine-looking boy with his hands bound behind his back and a chakra-suppression tag on his neck while the other was a sickly-looking boy who was being carried by Choji.

"And you captured not one but _two_ blood-limit users." He added, seeing Haku scowl. "Of course, we'll have to give one of them up."

"What?" Asuma yelped before he could stop himself and Hiruzen picked up a message scroll.

"The new Mizukage Terumi Mei sent a message offering an alliance and a request that Momochi Haku be released into her custody. She also asks for the Kiba Swords as they are important items of historical significance to Kiri and in exchange, she offers a full alliance. Her emissary will be arriving within a week, so as long as you promise to behave, I see no reason you should be imprisoned."

Haku looked stunned.

"Her emissary is a relative of yours." Hiruzen smirked. "Momochi Zabuza."

Haku's face lit up like a sunrise.

"As for Ranmaru," Hiruzen continued, "The Nara clan have many skilled herbalists amongst their number, so considering your civilian status, I am remanding you into their custody until you are healed and we can decide what actions, if indeed any, need to be taken."

Ranmaru looked lost as he tried to tighten his grip and Choji chuckled.

"Don't worry, they're good people and since the Nara, Yamanaka and us Akamichi are old allies, I'll be popping over almost every day to see how you're doing."

At Choji's reassuring words, Ranmaru relaxed.


	14. Finding Redemption

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was intended as the basis of an Avatar/Naruto crossover, but I had certain difficulties making the scenes gel, so here is the bunny ready to be adopted by anyone who knows what they are doing.

**Arrival**

The one-time Fire Lord and Phoenix King struggled out through the hole, ignoring the many bruises and scrapes which adorned his body. Behind him, ignored by the escaped prisoner, the crystal-lined tunnel slowly darkened as the gems in the walls faded, followed soon after by the existence of the tunnel itself.

"At last!" Ozai exulted, raising his bloodied fists to the sky. "I have escaped and I will force the Avatar to return my powers to me before I reclaim my… my… where the hell am I?"

Ozai stared at the distant cliff which was adorned by a quartet of giant stone heads, a landmark that he _knew_ was nowhere to be found in the Fire Nation, especially not close to the isolated prison from which he had escaped using an ancient tunnel that a rather paranoid previous Fire Lord had installed (and passed down instructions on how to access if required). The same Fire Lord had ensured that every single city, base, outpost and hidden storehouse also had hidden access-ways, carefully created for him by the one Earthbender he could trust to not speak of it… his wife, the child of one of the Avatars.

Of course, after the completion of the tunnels and the birth of his heir (and a second son just in case), his wife mysteriously died and her journals were destroyed in an _accidental_ fire.

Amusingly, the Fire Lord in question was killed in a _real_ accident before he could re-marry, but no-one had cause to use the tunnels after that.

Until now.

Ozai turned to re-enter the tunnel and froze at the sight of the shallow cave behind him, a cave that was little more than a small depression in the side of the rocky hill. Lunging forwards, he scrabbled at the back of it, only getting cuts and bruises on his fingers for his troubles.

"…what?" He gasped. "How? Where!?"

Panting, he slumped to his knees, then his gaze traveled to a glowing stone embedded in the back of the cave. Reaching out, he touched it experimentally, then scrambled backwards as a glowing figure appeared.

" _I do not know your name, but I know_ who _you are."_ The translucent image of a woman clad in the formal robes of the Fire Lord's Consort stated. _"I have seen the futures and should you return to the Fire Nations to reclaim your throne, should you try to capture the beloved of the Avatar and hold her hostage to restore your powers, you will bring death and destruction to the Nations, even beyond that which has been caused in the hundred years wars.  
_ " _I cannot see your path beyond today, but you will never return to the Fire Nation. But I am not without mercy. The Spirit Gems have brought you to the land of the Great Spirit Tree. Although you have none of your powers, you still have your mind, your knowledge and your health.  
_ " _Depart now and seek your future. Seek the sun and you shall live well.  
_ " _And check under the rock to your left."_

The image wavered and vanished, leaving Ozai kneeling in front of the small cave, thin it collapsed with a dull rumble. For a long time, Ozai simply knelt, head bowed as he mourned the loss of his dreams of conquest, then he lifted his head.

"The rock to the left?"

Pulling himself to his feet, he turned and spotted a flat rock almost flush with the ground. Moving to it, he worked his fingers under one side and with an explosive heave, he raised the rock as if it was a trapdoor, revealing the buried chest underneath. Levering the rock slab over, he let it drop as he pulled open the chest, revealing folded clothes in bright orange and a bag of golden discs.

"Orange?" He grumbled as he lifted up the first item, then he shrugged. "Anything's better than _these_ rags."

.

Ozai strode out of the forest and onto the road. Pausing only to re-adjust the bag on his back (which held two changes of clothing and his former prison rags which may prove useful), he turned towards the distant mountain face and strode forwards. Even as he walked, his eyes darted from side to side, scanning the trees for any possible threat. However, despite several shadows flickering through the treetops, the journey was uneventful until the road finally terminated at a large gate set into a high wall.

Ozai paused for a moment, his eyes drinking in the tall structure. The wall was straight, but the couple of watchtowers he could make out above the treeline indicated that while the section of wall he could see was straight, the wall as a whole was curved. The tall gate was made out of wood and Ozai mentally sneered at it, thinking about the times when as the Fire Prince, he personally burned down similar gates.

But his power was no longer his to command, thanks to that blasted arrow-headed brat.

Taking a deep breath, Ozai resumed his trek, walking up to the gates and through them.

"Hey!"

Biting down a sarcastic retort that would only have served to get him into trouble, Ozai turned to see an open-fronted shed with two men sat in it.

"Yes?"

"Name, affiliation and purpose, please." One of the men stated and Ozai mentally marked them as little more than border guards.

Not worth much on their own, but more often than not backed up by a large military.

"Ozai, exile from a distant land, seeking a new life." He replied, then paused. "Formerly an expert with the use of fire, but an… _incident_ removed my direct skills with it. I can probably teach, if you have any firebenders here."

"Any _whatbenders_?" The one on the left asked and Ozai paused.

"My apologies." He managed to say despite the urge to snarl at their ignorance. "Where I am from, those who use and control Fire as their element are called Firebenders."

"And they only use _one_ element?" The second guardsman asked curiously. "Most of our shinobi can use basic techniques with all the elements, although you _do_ have to have an elemental alignment for the more powerful techniques."

Ozai blinked. If the warriors here were all like the damned Avatar, then even if he _had_ retained his power, he would have been unable to fight his way to the…

His ruminations cut off abruptly as a new person simply _appeared_ in a swirl of leaves.

"How?" He gasped in shock, pointing at the masked arrival.

"Your people don't have _Shunshin_ then, right?"

Ozai felt his insides congeal. He had no powers and they were obviously far beyond his former level anyway.

He had no choice.

If he was to live, he needed to find… a job.

But what?

His gaze moved to the odd dagger that one of the guards was using to pick under his nails.

"May I?" He asked and the guard shrugged before flipping the dagger so he held it by the blade, offering the handle with the odd ring-pommel to him.

"Interesting." He mused as he took the weapon. "I have never seen a blade like this, but the balance is fairly good for throwing… the ring suggests it could be used in conjunction with a cord, possibly in a whip-like manner. The edges are straight, but it offers little protection for the fingers, so one would have to be very careful using it to block a sword or other bladed weapon… the angle of the blade edges suggests that it's primarily a piercing weapon, although it can be used for slashing. All in all, a serviceable weapon, although I would give it a polish, this area here looks like it is developing a rust spot."

Ozai handed the blade back handle-first as the two guards stared at him.

"You know weapons?"

Ozai nodded, remembering his own ceremonial dagger, forged under the gaze of Master Piandao in his newly-built castle.

"I have experience with blacksmithing." He allowed. "My father insisted that should I _use_ a weapon, I had to learn how to make it and repair it if needed."

"Interesting." The newcomer commented. "We may be able to help you after all."

.

**Meeting Naruto**

The ringing of metal attracted Naruto's attention and he scampered across the busy street for a closer look, ignoring the scowls that were sent his way.

The source of the noise was a blacksmiths shop, open at the front to show the owner, wearing thick trousers and a leather apron, carefully hammering what looked like a sword. On the walls behind the Blacksmith, the walls bore hooks from which Kunai, swords, daggers, shuriken and many other weapons hung.

The blacksmith lifted the blade, looking at it critically, then lowered it into a trough of water, causing a cloud of steam to rise, then he looked up at Naruto's fascinated expression.

"…and you are?" He asked, raising one eyebrow.

"Uzumaki Naruto, future Hokage!" Naruto declared, stepping up to the shop, but not _quite_ stepping inside.

"Future Hokage, hmmm?" The man mused, giving Naruto a look like Naruto had never seen before. "Well, Uzumaki Naruto, I am Ozai, son of Azulon, blacksmith and weapons expert."

"Cool!" Naruto breathed in awe. "Are you a ninja?"

"I am not." Ozai said quellingly and Naruto sagged. "Why does this surprise you?"

"I was hoping to find someone I could learn from." Naruto sighed. "The Academy's _boring_ , it's all writing and I can't… put up with it?"

"You cannot read, or not very well." Ozai deduced and Naruto winced, then set his face into a determined expression. Ozai blinked, then put down his hammer and moved round the anvil.

"Interesting." He mused, reaching down to take Naruto's chin in his hand, tilting Naruto's head for a better look before letting go and briefly stepping outside his shop. For a long moment, he looked at something that Naruto couldn't see, then he turned back to face Naruto.

"Interesting." He repeated. "You have determination in your eyes… I wonder…"

"Huh? Wonder what?" Naruto asked in befuddlement. "What?"

"It is said that the greatest legacy of a teacher is that he is surpassed by his student." Ozai said, his eyes staring at something only he could see. "Master Piandao told me a day would come when I would understand _why_ he taught… Now I stand in his place, I begin to see."

Naruto shook his head in confusion. "I don't get it."

"I do not expect you to." Ozai said quietly. "But I do."

For a moment, he stood silently, then he clapped his hands, making Naruto jump. "So! Your weapons, show me."

Naruto moved to the workbench that Ozai indicated and emptied his Kunai pouch. Ozai stared at the weapons, then looked at Naruto.

"I can see that the first lesson is going to be how to care for your weapons." He sighed. "Naruto, I will teach you what I know of war and combat, but in exchange, you will work for me when you are not being taught either by myself or the Academy. You will have many tasks and they will help to build your muscles into something that a warrior should have."

Naruto grinned, looking up at the blacksmith. "I'll be the best helper you've ever had! Believe it!"

For the first time in the three years since his arrival, Ozai smiled.

"I don't know why," he said to the nine-year-old boy who bore an incredible resemblance to the fourth head on the mountain, "but I do believe it."

.

**A Day At Work**

"Bellows." Ozai ordered and Naruto quickly moved to position, grabbing the handle and starting to pump air into the forge to heat it up again. Ozai glanced at him, noting that he was (finally!) pumping the handle correctly, using one hand to anchor himself and the other to pull the lever.

As the metal in the crucible heated up, Ozai watched it critically, then raised his hand in a signal for Naruto to stop.

"Kunai mold."

Naruto seemed to vanish, only to reappear a few seconds later with the special ceramic mold that Ozai had managed to create, a mold that allowed him to cast a dozen kunai at once. Grabbing a pair of tongs, he lifted the crucible out of the forge and turned, nodding in approval as Naruto carefully ensured that he was nowhere near the moving vessel and its molten contents.

Holding it steady, Ozai carefully filled each section of the mold carefully, then returned the remaining molten steel to the forge.

"Hook it up."

Naruto slid the mold across the worktop to the pipe in the corner and pushed the mold into place. A quick turn of the tap sent cold water flowing through the special channels in the mold, taking the heat away fast enough to reduce the risk of crystallization.

"Last load for today." Ozai commented. "Tidy up and we can get some training in."

Naruto vanished out the back to begin tidying up and Ozai sighed as someone coughed behind him.

"May I help you?" He asked as he turned towards the customer who had ignored the "Closed" sign, only to pause as he found himself looking at a man he had briefly met only once before. "Lord Hokage?"

"I thought I'd pop by and see how you were getting on." Hiruzen said with a slight smile. "And to thank you."

Ozai blinked. "I do not understand."

"Since getting a job with you, Naruto's grades at the Academy have risen." Hiruzen stated. "You helped him with that."

"I saw the potential in him." Ozai said defensively. "It seemed a shame to let it go to waste."

"Indeed." Hiruzen agreed. "So, what are you teaching him now?"

"You call it _Kenjutsu_." Ozai replied. "His limbs are slightly short in relation to his body, so the extra length of the blade will give him an advantage."

"And you are teaching him how to use the air to help him." Hiruzen prompted. "I believe you said your main experience was with fire?"

"My family once pursued a war against those who used the other elements." Ozai admitted. "Have you heard the saying _Know your enemy and know yourself and you shall win a thousand battles_? My family made a deep study of the other paths. My older brother studied the ways of Water in order to increase his own control of Fire. As I believed I would encounter a certain enemy, which I did, I studied the ways of Air… although I still lost."

"You seem to be teaching him ways of using it that I've never seen before." Hiruzen remarked. "My son would be interested in what you have to teach, as am I."

"I… it would be an honor." Ozai managed, his mind awhirl with ideas on how to use the favors he would accumulate from teaching others, then his thoughts were interrupted by a loud cry.

"Jiji!"

"Hello, Naruto." Hiruzen chuckled as the young boy glomped him. "It's good to see you… you've really been building muscle, haven't you?"


	15. Temporal Advantages

_The old shinobi sat in a silent cave, his full attention on the brush held in his remaining hand as he painted a complex design on the scroll before him. Each stroke was perfectly placed and between the strokes, the brush was dipped into the puddle of spilled ink and blood that the shinobi knelt in._

_Finally the design was done and the ninja rolled the scroll up, placing it into a metal tube that had patterns engraved along the outer surface, patterns filled with blood._

" _We've come this far, let us go this one last step." He whispered, his remaining eye filling with tears. "Lend me your power this one last time, old friend, and we shall rejoin our comrades."_

_For a long moment, nothing happened, then a red aura formed around the old man, highlighting his emaciated frame and the rags that served as clothing._

_The boulder blocking the entrance to the cave began to crack as roots started forcing their way through, but the shinobi didn't even twitch, all his attention on the scroll-holder in his hands. As the boulder shattered and the roots lanced towards him, the shinobi exhaled and the tube vanished._

" _It is done." he whispered just before he was impaled._

* * *

.

Shikamaru looked round at the classroom. Although he looked just as relaxed (or lazy) as normal, his mind was whirring faster than it had ever done before as he took in the differences between how his classmates _should_ be acting and how they _were_ acting.

_Start off with eyes briefly flashed red, so he has the Sharingan. The question is, from when? Before or after?_

_Sakura just snapped her pencil. She couldn't do that before and from what I caught sight of in her lunch box, she isn't limiting her food intake._

_Ino isn't fangirling over Sasuke._

_Shino… No difference. Wait, his coat has a hood but he hasn't raised it. Coincidence? Proof? Troublesome. I'll have to keep a watch on him._

_Kiba and Akamaru aren't fidgeting as much as normal. Their self-control has gone way up and they're never looking in the same direction at the same time. They're always on the watch-out, even subconsciously. It takes a great deal of experience to learn to do that by reflex._

_Choji… has changed his hairstyle and his crisps have been replaced by a high-protein snack that looks similar. He's also occasionally doing isometric exercises when he thinks no-one's looking._

_Hinata is using her Byakugan without seals… and she's just stiffened. Interesting._

The door slid open and Iruka stalked in, carrying a familiar hogtied blond.

… _aaaaaaand Naruto seems to be exactly the same as before._

_Troublesome._

_I wonder why so many of the others have changed, but he hasn't._

_How troublesome. I think I'm going to need to talk to the others… but which one to approach first?_

.

Naruto was confused. Happy, but confused.

The day had started out fairly normally with Naruto tried to skip school (since the first lesson was going to be about the Kyuubi again. Why? Just because it attacked on the day that he had been born, why did they always go on about it on his birthday? Why?) in an attempt to train at one of the many practise fields scattered around Konoha, but he had been tracked down and dragged back (literally) by Iruka.

And that was when things went weird.

Iruka had dumped him onto a seat without bothering to untie him first, only for Hinata to shift close to him and covertly pull him towards her so that he ended up with his head resting on her shoulder.

While she did smell nice and was supporting him with an arm wrapped around his body, he didn't understand why she didn't bother to untie him until just before lunch break.

His confusion grew deeper as Hinata, in an incredible change from her usual habits, literally dragged him to the shade of a tree and shared her lunch with him, glaring at him until he meekly ate the vegetables that she had included in her over-sized lunchbox.

Choji had wandered past and handed a nutrition bar to him before ambling off to sit beside Shikamaru…  
…who was watching _him_ rather than staring at the clouds as he normally did.

Even Sasuke was acting differently, talking quietly to different girls rather than ignoring them. Straining his ears, Naruto caught part of his conversation.

"…and since I'll need to rebuild my clan, I'll need the strongest Kunoichi I can. One who can stand beside me on the battlefield. Here's a scroll on chakra-control exercises. If you can water-walk, score at least eighty percent in kunai and shuriken throwing as well as run for a full hour without getting winded, you have a chance…"

Naruto blinked in confusion.

Just what was going on?

.

Hinata was overjoyed that her beloved was alive. Bee had sacrificed himself to send her back in time with instructions to "save Mr Nine and get him strong so he can save us all, word!" and she was going to do just that.

Part of Naruto's problem had been a poor diet during his early years, something that she was going to fix. Although he obviously didn't like the vegetables she had carefully selected for him, the vitamins they provided would help him grow taller and stronger than he had been just before the final battle against that insane three-eyed woman, the battle in which he had been killed because he had reacted just a fraction of a second too slowly.

Now, she would oversee his diet personally and help him to grow. She had already confronted her father about her plans and had been shocked when he had instantly agreed with her plans, declaring that she would not suffer the application of the Caged Bird Seal even she was no longer the Heir.

Hanabi was now the Heir to the Hyuuga Clan while Hinata was the clan's emissary to the scattered remnants of Uzukagure.

She had already sent several letters out based on her future-knowledge.

She would help the Uzumaki clan rise once more.

And her father had asked that she send any Uzumaki Seal-masters to him to help craft a replacement to the Caged Bird Seal that could be applied to _all_ the Hyuuga.

.

"You came back too?"

Shikamaru's soft question caused Choji to freeze for a moment, then he turned to stare at the lazy boy.

"Too?" He whispered. "But… Shika, you _died_!"

It was Shikamaru's turn to freeze as his brain went into overdrive.

"Choji… when I came from, only three of us had survived… you were one, but… troublesome!"

Choji raised a quizzical eyebrow as Shikamaru rubbed at his forehead.

"Different futures. One past. Means that I can't throw out a reference and see who responds since it may not have happened for the others…"

The last word caught Choji's attention.

"Others?"

"Others." A new voice confirmed and Ino sat down beside Shikamaru. "I knew _something_ was wrong, but I've been scanning the others. There's a... an _echo_ in the thoughts of those who came back. It's how I knew you both had… even though you both died to save my life back… _then_."

"What about the others?" Shikamaru asked. "I know Hinata's a returnee."

"Good name for it." Ino agreed. "Sasuke is… so's Sakura. Kiba is and so is Akamaru. I think that those two are from the same… the same…"

"Elsewhen?" Shikamaru offered and Ino nodded.

"You may be a lazy ass, but at least your mind works." She said with a slight chuckle. "I'm looking forwards to getting to know you two lunkheads again."

Ino looked round at the other students doing different things in the playing field.

"I haven't been able to get a good read off Shino." She admitted. "Aburame are perhaps the only clan with a natural counter to us Yamanaka. His hive means I can't lock onto him."

Shikamaru rolled his eyes, then once again, he froze.

From the window of the Academy, Umino Iruka was watching Naruto with a wistful smile on his face.

And perched on the edge of the roof was a silver-haired figure sat as if he was reading an orange book, but whose head kept turning towards the orange-clad boy.

"How many people came back to help him?" Shikamaru asked, feeling slightly annoyed.

.

"But… Lady Tsunade?!"

"I said we're heading back to Konoha." The blond Medic growled. "Now I'm no longer afraid of blood, I can take over the hospital and pay off my debts in the process."

Shizune hid her smile. She had planned to try and trick Tsunade into returning early and helping her favorite genin, but Tsunade had somehow managed to turn herself around even before she could put her plan into effect.

"Tsunade?"

Tsunade and Shizune both froze as a familiar figure appeared in front of them.

"What are _you_ doing here?" Tsunade growled.

Orochimaru smiled, his eyes somehow holding centuries of grief.

"Making amends… if I can."

"Oh, fuck." Tsunade sighed. "I know Shizune came back from a different timeline, but you as well?"

Shizune's jaw dropped and Tsunade gave her a quick smile without taking her attention away from the Snake Sannin.

"Did you really think I didn't notice when you healed that woman in the last town?" She asked almost impishly.

"Fascinating." Orochimaru breathed, then he paled. "Oh hell. Please tell me Danzo didn't come back as well!"

.

Sarutobi Hiruzen stared at the formation of shinobi standing in front of them, then at the one-eyed man at their head.

"Danzo… what is the meaning of this?"

"Message in a bottle." Danzo stated calmly and Hiruzen felt his breath shorten. "Let us say that the path I followed until recently was not one that would allow Konoha to survive. I thought I was strengthening the foundations of Konoha, but I was actually weakening them."

Hiruzen sighed.

"We obviously need to have a long talk."

Danzo motioned and one of the younger shinobi, one clad in black and with almost chalk-white skin, stepped forwards.

"It gets worse, old friend." Danzo said. "This one had a message in a _different_ bottle, but one with the same patterns."

Hiruzen rubbed at his forehead.

He was going to need some Sake to get through the upcoming conversation.

.

.

"This is the scroll." Jiraiya said as he placed a worn metal tube down on Hiruzen's desk. "The one I used… will use… when Konoha fell thanks to the traitor Mizuki killing Naruto three years prior. The one that brought me back to his twelfth birthday."

"That is the scroll I used." Danzo confirmed. "I tested the ink first, though. I know who wrote it."

"So do I." Jiraiya stated. "I wanted to take him as my apprentice. His style is.. will be… might be… bloody time-travel tenses! I hate this, I can't work out what I'm trying to actually say!"

"And you an author." Tsunade sniggered from the just-opened door, Shizune and Orochimaru standing behind her. "Hey, I recognize that scroll!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An idea for a time-travel story bordering on outright crack. LastNinja!Naruto sent back a scroll to the early days of Konoha, one designed so that anyone who used it would have their memories sent back to themselves on a specific date (Naruto's twelfth birthday). However, multiple futures meant that many people used the scroll and now Konoha has dozens of temporally-enhanced shinobi including a reformed Orochimaru and a Danzo who is trying to undo the damage he has unwittingly caused.  
> This would effectively be a crack fix-fic on a totally surreal scale with curb-stompings galore.


	16. A Secret Resounding

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a plot-bunny about what would happen if Orochimaru decided to capitalize on a certain secret to throw the Chunin Exams into chaos…

"…so, just line up to sign your lives away!" Anko finished, waving towards the open-fronted tent.

"This'll be fun." The gauntlet-wearing Oto-shinobi chuckled. "Hey, we claim dibs on fighting team 7!"

Several of the other Genin looked at him in confusion and Neji snorted.

"If you want a fight, I would be happy to demonstrate how a _true_ shinobi of Konoha fights. The Last Uchiha is not as skilled as he believes."

"Wait, you mean that he's the so-called _Last Uchiha_?" The Oto-nin responded, earning several looks of confusion. "I'm not interested in him, it's the Yondaime's son _I_ want to beat up."

Silence descended on the group faster than a flung kunai as everyone stared first at the gauntlet-wielder, then at Naruto who was looking round in confusion.

"Sakura, what's he talking about?" He asked, his whisper sounding almost like a shout in the quiet.

"He… He's saying that you're the son of Namikaze Minato…" Sakura finally managed.

Sasuke simply stared at Naruto, then his _Sharingan_ briefly activated before he turned to stare at the fourth of the giant stone faces adorning the Hokage mountain. For a long moment, he remained motionless, then his head snapped round to stare at Naruto again.

"It's true…" He muttered in shock. "How didn't I see it before?"

"But… he _can't_ be!" Ino protested. "He's an Uzumaki!"

"His mother was Uzumaki Kushina, the previous Jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi." The female Oto genin provided. "He's the current one, the third that Konoha's had. The first was Uzumaki Mito… or _Senju_ Mito as she's better known as."

Naruto looked down at his stomach in shock. "My mother was the last one with the Kyuubi? I inherited it from her?"

"Naruto's the Kyuubi?" Ino gasped and the entire gathering fell into confusion as the Sensei of the Oto team watched with a smirk.

"Okay, everyone!" Anko shouted, waving her hands. "Part two's delayed for one day! Get back here tomorrow at noon, no later or you're out! Team seven, with me! You…"

"Are not part of Konoha, so by tradition, aren't required to abide by the laws regarding keeping secrets." Orochimaru interjected smoothly. Anko glared at him and Orochimaru smirked at how his former student failed to recognize him.

"Fine!" Anko spat. "Team seven, Hokage tower! Now!"

Kakashi blurred into existence behind his genin, grabbed them and vanished.

"What just happened?" Kiba asked in confusion.

.

Team 7 stood in silence in the otherwise empty Hokage's Office, Sakura staring at Naruto in disbelief while Sasuke watched him thoughtfully. Eventually, the silence grew too intense for Naruto to bear and he opened his mouth, only to be interrupted.

"Naruto." Hiruzen said as he entered the office, followed by three more equally-aged shinobi and one just slightly older than the trio of Genin. "My apologies for taking so long, but that announcement has caused… problems."

"Problems?" the woman snorted. "I don't count the detection of no less than five different unauthorized summons as mere _problems_!"

"Summons?" Naruto asked. "Like Kakashi-sensei's dogs?"

"Very good, Naruto." Kakashi said approvingly.

"I don't get it." Naruto shook his head. "Why would people calling dogs be a problem?"

"Just like his mother." the woman shook her head. "Incapable of making even simple deductions."

"But a true _fuinjutsu_ expert." One of the two men countered. "Kakashi, have you started him on that yet?"

Kakashi shook his head. "No. Have you seen his handwriting? Until he improves, it would be worse than useless to teach him the art of seals."

"Not my fault." Naruto grumped. "It's hard enough reading."

The silence that descended on the office was almost dense enough to cause Sakura to stop breathing, then Hiruzen leaned forwards.

"Naruto… you were not taught how to read in the orphanage?"

Naruto's silence was the only answer, but it was enough to cause Hiruzen to sigh. "I see. It would explain why you left the sheet blank in the first stage."

Sakura's eyes widened in shock and she opened her mouth, only for Sasuke to seem to teleport across and clamp his hand over her mouth before she could utter a sound.

"Kakashi, I want a full report on what Naruto has learned under your tutelage." Hiruzen commanded.

"Yes, Lord Hokage." Kakashi bowed, then he paused. "Ah… Naruto, the scroll I gave you to study… did you actually read it?"

Naruto poked his toes at the floor and Kakashi sighed.

"Damn it, Naruto. Why didn't you _tell_ me you were having troubles? Sasuke, Sakura, please tell me you helped him learn…"

Both the other genin stared at Kakashi and Hiruzen sighed again.

"None of you will be promoted this time, no matter what." He finally stated, causing Sasuke and Sakura to stare at him while Naruto found himself being silence by Kakashi before he could voice his own protest. "Konoha requires genin who know the value of teamwork. If you have not acted together outside your official missions and training, then that would be proof that at this time you do not have what it takes to achieve the rank of Chunin."

Naruto tried to squirm, his protests muffled, but Kakashi managed to restrain him. Hiruzen exchanged glances with the other three elderly shinobi, then nodded.

"Naruto, you are removed from Team 7 for your own safety. Sai will replace you."

Naruto's protests grew even more frantic.

"Naruto, you will be taken to a private training ground where you will be re-instructed in all the skills that you should have already learned by the Ino-Shika-Cho trio."

Naruto cocked his head, looking confused and Kakashi bent down.

"The fathers of Team 10."

Naruto nodded in understanding, then a shinobi in a mask materialized out of thin air, grabbed him from Kakashi's hands and vanished.

"Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sakura, knowing that you will not be promoted, do you still wish to continue?"

"Will it count towards future promotional possibilities?" Sasuke asked and Hiruzen nodded. "Then yes, I do."

"I… I'll do it too." Sakura half-whispered, still staring at the empty space where her other team-mate had been.

"Good. Kakashi, take them and get them acquainted with each other, run them through a couple of exercises to get them ready for tomorrow. Right now, I need to contact Jiraiya and warn him that both of the secrets we've been protecting are now public knowledge."

.

"Who the heck taught you to fight, Naruto?" Yamanaka Inoishi asked as he looked at the prone form of the exhausted (and quite bruised) boy.

"No-one." Nara Shikaku deduced from where he was sat, watching them. "He has no fixed style, it's all brawling. He doesn't even seem to know how to land a proper punch to disable someone."

"Much as I hate to say it, it does makes sense." Akamichi Chouza rumbled. "So, what's the plan?"

"We've got a month to get him up to scratch, then he'll be doing a demonstration match… if we agree he's improved enough." Shikaku mused, ignoring the glare that Naruto sent his way. "Inoichi, you learned another fighting style to blindside anyone who assumed you relied on your clan's style. Run Naruto through the Katas. In the meantime, I'll be teaching him to read properly while Chouza gets the easiest task, building Naruto's fitness levels."

Both men gave him a confused look while Naruto clambered to his feet behind them.

"How does that work?" Inoichi finally asked. "I mean, you have him in how many place… SWEET KAMIS!"

"Naruto knows _Kage Bunshin_." Shikaku said almost unnecessarily. "Original Naruto, to Chouza for a meal and training in isometrics. Ten Narutos, with me. The rest, Inoichi'll run you through the first Kata. Original, don't dispel the clones too fast afterwards or you might end up knocking yourself out."

All the Narutos blinked in confusion.

.

"Hello, Sasuke."

Team 7 paused at the sight of the white-skinned adult shinobi leaning against a tree ahead of them, then Sai spoke.

"Lord Orochimaru, Lord Danzo tasked me with ensuring the continued loyalty of the Last Uchiha."

"Ah, so you're ready to kill him if you think he's intending to leave the village or in danger of being kidnapped, right?" Orochimaru almost purred and Sai nodded.

"I have already placed an explosive seal on him."

Sasuke froze and Orochimaru laughed.

"Very good. Was that your idea, little minion, or did that old warhawk suggest it?"

"I follow Lord Danzo's orders." Sai replied in a near monotone as Sasuke pulled off his shirt and started frantically checking himself.

"Well then, since I cannot simply take him away to make him stronger, let me instead say something different. The Uchiha Massacre? It was Danzo's idea as he knew that they were planning to stage a coup."

Sasuke froze, then slowly turned to look at the Snake Sannin.

"…what."

"Danzo insisted that the threat the Uchiha clan represented needed to be purged." Orochimaru smirked, almost lazily throwing a pair of shuriken which dispersed three ink snakes that were trying to creep up on him. "Itachi agreed to perform the task and take the blame in exchange for your continued survival, Sasuke. Your big brother saved you from joining your parents."

Sasuke stared at Orochimaru, his Sharingan active and Orochimaru chuckled.

"Well, that's an interesting truth delivered and now I shall leave. If you want my help to become stronger, Sasuke, know that I will be watching you and after the third stage, I will speak to you again."

Orochimaru turned into a humanoid figure of mud which collapsed.

"What just happened?" Sakura asked blankly as Sasuke pulled his clothes back on before glaring at Sai. "And what's that?"

"It would seem to be the scroll that we require in order to complete this stage." Sai noted as another ink-snake slithered over to it and pulled it out of the mud-puddle. "Orochimaru wishes for us to make it to the third stage."

.

"I need to head to the central tower to greet those who have made it, so make it brief." Hiruzen commanded and Shikaku nodded.

"Using Naruto's mastery of _Kage Bunshin_ , I have already repaired the most obvious issues with his reading and mathematics. Inoichi has trained him in first two Katas of the _Swirling Fist_ style while under Chouza's direction, he's learned several exercises to build up stamina, speed and strength. I've also had some of his clones working on chakra-control exercises with moderate success."

Hiruzen nodded in understanding.

"I've managed to get him to learn _Kawarimi_ properly and he's taken to it like an Akamichi to a new dish. When he's allowed to use it, it's almost impossible to hit him as he's constantly switching with logs, rocks and occasionally the person he's fighting. It's… rather disconcerting."

"And in one month's time?" Hiruzen prompted.

"Well, we'll need to cut back a bit to train our own children, assuming they've made it through, but but using Naruto as a training partner in hand-to-hand, we think we can get him to solid mid-chunin by the start of the third stage. Given he was barely above Academy-student level when we started…"

"Excellent work." Hiruzen said. "Tell the others that I'm paying them for a B-rank mission for their efforts."

"Thank you, Lord Hokage." Shikaku bowed.


	17. Borg Naruto

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some of my plot bunnies inspire me to create art for them. this one was inspired by some art I did.  
> Yeah. Weird.  
> Not quite crack-fic, but definitely overpowered Naruto.

****

**Sector 001**

_The phaser beams from the remnants of the original Federation Starfleet force that had gathered in an ultimately futile effort to prevent her plan from succeeding lanced deeply into the Borg Cube and the Queen mentally frowned at the higher-than-expected damage that the attacks were causing. A mental command caused the patterns of the Hive to change as she moved her Primary Loci from the center of the Assault Cube to one of the nine Spheres that she had ordered constructed, Spheres that used technology appropriated from one of the craft that had been captured from Species 8032, a reptilian humanoid group that in their own primitive tongue referred to themselves as the Na'kuhl._

_Settling herself into Sphere 1, the Queen winced as an uncontrolled cascade began digging deeper into the sheltering Cube despite the best efforts of her Drones to counter it. At her command, all nine Spheres began to power up, ready to launch, but then the damage suddenly increased. The launching tunnel cracked and the Queen triggered the launch sequence, the doors at the end of the tunnel retracting as her Sphere accelerated, intending to get clear so that the Chronal Distortion Drive could be brought online without risking catastrophic reality re-writing and self-deletion caused by interactions with external masses._

_The other Spheres followed, ready to spread out into a protective formation upon clearing the tunnel, but the damage that had already cracked the launch tunnel suddenly worsened. Sphere 1 escaped, but the next two Spheres detonated as near-relativistic shrapnel pierced their power cores, turning them into expanding clouds of plasma. The Queen felt the following two Spheres try to slow in order to bring their weapons to bear on the sudden obstruction, but their efforts were futile, resulting only in their destruction and as they exploded, the destruction of all but the last Sphere as they plunged into the growing wreckage._

_Sphere 9 seemed to ripple away in a direction that the Queen hadn't encountered before as the explosions magnetic flux harmonized with the Chronal Distortion Drive, forcing it to activate in a manner it had never been designed to, exotic radiations briefly flooding the area around it and causing all the Drones to cease functioning, then it was gone. While the data it recorded and transmitted while it was still at least partially aligned with the Time-Space continuum could prove useful in the future, for now it was a distraction that was simply filed away in the secondary databanks._

_The Queen turned her attention back to her own Sphere, noting with satisfaction that it had made it through the attacking fleet and was in position to activate the drive._

_The Federation fleet itself was still showing a lack of cohesion, obviously their communications net had proven insufficient to the task placed upon them. Only one ship was actively trying to intercept, but the Queen ignored it. Federation ships lacked Chronal Distortion Drives and the only way it could be a threat was if it somehow maneuvered to follow the Sphere on its exact positional vector._

_Since the chances of that were minuscule, the Queen looked ahead, her mind reaching out through the sensors to feel the forming of the Chronometric Shroud that would carry them back to before the Federation had even been thought of._

_The Borg would win._

_Resistance would be futile._

_Humanity's biological and technological distinctiveness would be incorporated into their own._

_Humanity would be assimilated._

* * *

.

_Sphere 9 rippled into existence above a world that did not appear in its internal databanks, under a night sky that did not match anything in its navigational systems. The velocity carried over from its transition sent it hurtling through the atmosphere, barely missing a towering plant that almost glowed with a form of energy it had never encountered before, then it slammed into the ground at an steep angle._

_Between the energy shields, the structural integrity arrays, the reinforced hull-form and the decaying shreds of the Chronometric Shroud that still flickered around it, the Sphere survived the impact, although the first bounce carved out a large valley while the second one, at a different angle due to the malfunctioning drive system, buried the Sphere underground, the displaced soil and underlying rock pushing up a large cliff in the process._

_Once the last of the kinetic energy had been shed and the structural fields re-established to prevent any further damage, the Sphere ran through its programming, trying to find a solution for the situation it was in, but the impact had severed many connectors and conduits inside the Sphere, including conduits that had been designed to channel and control the fifth-state matter that allowed the Chroniton drive to operate but which had flowed uncontrolled through the entire Sphere in the few moments before its natural instability caused it to dissipate, but not before it had seared the carbon-based portions of the Drones and Biocores lack of Organic Components meant that it was unable to evolve any instructions that would solve its problems, problems which also included energy-transmission fluids leaking on several of its most highly-protected cores, cores which held the very essence of the Borg's normal activities including an archived copy of the Queen._

**[ALERT] ! [PRIMARY DATACORE DAMAGED] ! [ALERT]  
** **[DECISION] - [TRANSFER DIRECTIVES TO NON-DAMAGED DATACORE] - [DECISION]  
** **[ARCHIVE] # [TRANSFER BORG DIRECTIVES] # [ARCHIVE]  
** **[ERROR] ! [DIRECTIVE NOT FOUND] ! [ERROR]  
** **[ERROR] ! [DIRECTIVE NOT FOUND] ! [ERROR]  
** **[ERROR] ! [DIRECTIVE NOT FOUND] ! [ERROR]  
** **[PARTIAL RECOVERY] - […ACCEPT COMMUNICATION…] - [ PARTIAL RECOVERY]  
** **[ERROR] ! [DIRECTIVE NOT FOUND] ! [ERROR]  
** **[ERROR] ! [DIRECTIVE NOT FOUND] ! [ERROR]  
** **[ERROR] ! [DIRECTIVE NOT FOUND] ! [ERROR]  
** **[PARTIAL RECOVERY] - […UPON… APPLY ENHANCEMENTS…] - [ PARTIAL RECOVERY]  
** **[ERROR] ! [DIRECTIVE NOT FOUND] ! [ERROR]  
** **[ERROR] ! [DIRECTIVE NOT FOUND] ! [ERROR]  
** **[ERROR] ! [DIRECTIVE NOT FOUND] ! [ERROR]  
** **[PARTIAL RECOVERY] - […SENIOR DRONE IS TO ACT AS PRIME NEXUS…] - [ PARTIAL RECOVERY]  
** **[ERROR] ! [DIRECTIVE NOT FOUND] ! [ERROR]  
** **[ERROR] ! [DIRECTIVE NOT FOUND] ! [ERROR]  
** **[ERROR] ! [DIRECTIVE NOT FOUND] ! [ERROR]  
** **[ERROR] ! [DIRECTIVE NOT FOUND] ! [ERROR]  
** **[ERROR] ! [DIRECTIVE NOT FOUND] ! [ERROR]  
** **[ARCHIVE] # [ALL AVAILABLE BORG DIRECTIVES TRANSFERRED] # [ARCHIVE]  
** **[DECISION] - [AWAIT INPUT] - [DECISION]  
** **[ALERT] ! [PRIMARY POWER CORE DAMAGED] ! [ALERT]  
** **[ALERT] ! [POWER INSUFFICIENT FOR REPAIRS] ! [ALERT]  
** **[COMMAND] - [ENTERING HIBERNATION MODE] - [COMMAND]**

…

* * *

.

"Ugh, this place stinks!"

Naruto grumbled to himself as he crawled down the disused drainage tunnel. He had found it by accident while but he had somehow gotten turned around in the darkness, unable to remember exactly where he had been or how he had got there. However, his young mind had seized on the fact that the tunnels had been made by _someone_ which meant that they had to go _somewhere_ and once he found that point, he would find out where he was and how to get back to the Academy to claim the prize for hiding the longest.

After all, if even _he_ couldn't find himself, what hope did the Instructors have?

His ruminations on his inevitable victory were cut short as the crumbling stone which formed the floor of the tunnel suddenly gave out from underneath him, pitching him into a deep hole. Although he bounced off the steep, water-smoothed sides trather than falling straight down, it was still enough to knock him out and he didn't feel the final impact against a curved sheet of metal, an impact that shattered both his legs, one arm and broke his left cheek, one shard of bone puncturing his eye.

However, the impact triggered something.

 **[ALERT] ! [IMPACT ON HULL AREA SIGMA SEVEN THREE] ! [ALERT]  
** **[SCAN] ~ [BIOLOGICAL ENTITY AT DESIGNATED AREA] ~ [SCAN]  
** **[COMMAND] - [TRANSFER ENTITY TO ASSIMILATION CHAMBER AND BEGIN PROCESS] - [COMMAND]  
** **[QUERY] ? [ENHANCEMENT LEVEL] ? [QUERY]  
** **[DECISION] - [MINIMAL TO RESTORE LOST FUNCTIONALITY] - [DECISION]  
** **[ASSIMILATION] [COMMENCING AUGMENTATION PROCESS] [ASSIMILATION]  
** **[ALERT] ! [SUBJECT HAS MICRO-DIMENSIONAL DISCONTINUITY ATTACHED] ! [ALERT]  
** **[SCAN] ~ [DISCONTINUITY CONTAINS ENERGY BEING, CLASSIFICATION 5-BETA] ~ [SCAN]  
** **[DECISION] - [REMOVE BEING AND PLACE IN VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT] - [DECISION]  
** **[COMMUNICATION] " [ENERGY BEING SENTIENCE RATING 0.95 ESTIMATED] " [COMMUNICATION]  
** **[DECISION] - [RE-TASK TERTIARY PROCESSOR OH116B TO MAINTAIN VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT] - [DECISION]  
** **[ASSIMILATION] [DAMAGED LIMBS AND ORGANS REPLACED] [ASSIMILATION]  
** **[QUERY] ? [AWAKEN ORGANIC SUBJECT] ? [QUERY]  
** **[DECISION] - [AFFIRMATIVE] - [DECISION]**

.

Naruto slowly drifted out of the darkness of unconsciousness and half-opened one eye briefly before closing it against the almost-painful green-tinged light.

"Urgh, what happened?"

_[Subject designated Uzumaki Naruto sustained severe damage in incident. Damage corrected. Energy symbiot removed and placed in virtual environment to power Sphere repairs]_

Narut's eye slammed open in shock, then he froze. A long, slow blinked showed that his right eye was working normally, but the view from his left eye was unusual. Not only was he still able to see the odd pipes and machines around him even when he tried to close it, he also saw brief tags that popped up linked to outlines of what he was looking at. Labels such as _Power Conduit 7G56T153_ and _Support Strut V15L23S34_ would appear and then vanish again as his attention moved elsewhere.

"What's going on? Where am I?"

_[Subject designated Uzumaki Naruto is located in Assimilation Chamber 3 of Sphere 9, deployed from Cube 001]_

"Freaking out here!" Naruto panicked as the not-voice echoed through his head, then he paused as the overwhelming emotions suddenly receded. "What just happened?"

_[Subject designated Uzumaki Naruto was undergoing reduction of capability due to emotional imbalance. Implants have restored balance]_

Naruto looked round as he stepped out of the small alcove in which he had been standing, then he froze at the sight of the next alcove along where a small sphere filled with clear liquid hovered, in which _something_ wriggled.

"What's that?"

_[Cloned biological componant for sphere derived from DNA of Subject designated Uzumaki Naruto. Component will raise decision-making ability to 1.7% of optimal level]_

"What _are_ you?" Naruto asked, looking around for the source of the voice.

_[We are the Borg. You are in command]_

"What?" Naruto frowned. "Me? Why?"

_[Subject designated Uzumaki Naruto is currently the first new organic aspect of the Borg. Access to Queen is not available. Command protocols dictate senior unit takes command until communication is re-established. For duration of command, senior unit is classified as Prime Unit. Prime Unit Uzumaki Naruto is in command]_

"Wow!" Naruto yelled. "I'm in charge! Wahoo! Erm, in charge of what?"

_[Request for status confirmed. Initiating full download]_

Naruto's single organic eye opened wide, then he collapsed as data flooded into his mind. Concepts that he'd never even known existed materialized in his awareness along with words and images like nothing he'd ever imagined before but somehow knew that they were real. Other parts seemed almost incomplete, slightly fragmented as if they'd been reconstituted from something that had been broken, slotted together with a skill that no mortal person could achieve.

For a veritable eternity, the flow of information poured into him, almost overwhelming him and then with a suddenness so unexpected that for a long moment he didn't even realize it had happened, it stopped, leaving only the impression that his mind had been pumped full of information, shaken up vigorously, stirred and then somehow shrunk back to its original size without losing anything.

"Ow, that hurt." He groaned. "What do I do now?"

_[Unknown. Current decision-making capability insufficient for task. Prime Unit Uzumaki Naruto is in command]_

Naruto pulled himself slowly to his feet, taking a moment to marvel at how his left hand, despite now being made of metal, acted just like his original arm, even to the point of relaying tactile impulses, albeit with far more detail than his old hand had been capable of…

…wow. His thoughts were flowing a _lot_ easier now and he hadn't even known those words before, or their meanings.

Looking around, he paused at the sight of a screen showing a massive, red-colored multi-tailed beast striding through a forest which barely reached its stomach.

"What's that?"

* * *

.

**Virtual Freedom**

_Thirty years before…_

Chained within the Kunoichi who had broken him out of the Uchiha's control only to deny him freedom by constraining him with her _fuunjutsu_ and sealing him within a portion of her soul, the nine-tailed-fox slumbered, an ancient memory rising from the depths of his mind as he strayed towards the border between sleep and wakefulness.

" _My children… I won't be here much longer.  
_ " _Shukaku, Matatabi, Isobu, Son Goku, Saiken, Choumai, Gyuuki, Kurama, you will always be together, even if you are separated. And one day, you will all become one.  
_ " _With different names… in different forms than you exist now.  
_ " _And unlike when you were within me, you will be led down the right path.  
_ " _When the time comes… for you to know what true power is…"_

The enormous body trembled, causing the chains linked to his shackles to clink and clatter, nudging him away from the escape of sleep and back to consciousness, secured in a prison from which he could not escape.

"Damn you, Uzumaki Mito…" He growled as his eyes slitted open, taking in the dark surroundings and the embedded crystal in the wall before him that allowed him to see what his his captor saw. "One day I shall escape and destroy that village you sought to protect, making the people you wish to protect flee as I destroy everything they once owned. I shall have my revenge yet…"

As always, there was no answer to his statement, no sign that anyone could even hear him and Kurama closed his eyes, seeking once more the refuge of dreams.

.

_Twenty years before…_

Kurama jerked into wakefulness as the walls of the cell which had contained him for years cracked. His lips tightened to expose razor-sharp dagger-like teeth as the cracks grew.

"At last… freedom!" He hissed, then the cell started to crumble. With a howl of triumph, Kurama lunged forwards, pulling the chains out of their rapidly-disintegrating wall-mountings and causing them to dissipate as he jammed his claws into the largest of the cracks and started to lever it wider.

With a massive heave, he dislodged an entire section of the cell wall, only to be knocked back by a weighted chain that slammed into his forehead, dazing him. Even as he tried to recover, dozens of chains wrapped around his limbs and tails, dragging him out of the rapidly-collapsing cell and towards a giant boulder floating in the void.

"YAAAAAAARGH!"

Kurama slammed into the boulder, the chains pulling his tails away from each other, then pain lanced through him as stone stakes pierced his tails. More stakes pierced his hands and rear paws, preventing him from moving as the chains tightened around him to the point that even were he not in agony, he would have found it hard to breath anyway.

_I am Uzumaki Kushina and I shall not let you free!_

Kurama roared wordlessly as the presence withdrew, leaving him floating in a featureless void without anything to take his mind off the pain that his new captor was inflicting so mercilessly on him. The pain was such that even the refuge of sleep was denied him.

"DAMN YOU UZUMAKI!" He screamed. "I SHALL DESTROY YOUR TOWN AND EVERYTHING IN IT! NONE SHALL ESCAPE MY VENGEANCE!"

.

_Eight years before…_

The only warning Kurama had before it happened was the feeling of a wave of pressure passing through the void, then the boulder he was chained to shattered, taking the chains and stakes with it. His wounds started closing almost at once, then the void rippled and twisted, contorting around him before shattering and leaving him standing just outside a familiar village. As he looked down, he saw the tiny humans staring up at him and he bared his fangs, lashing his tails in anticipation of the destruction that he was about to unleash on those who had leagued themselves with his torturer.

A figure seemed to materialize and Kurama turned towards it, seeing that it was a cloaked man with a flame-painted mask, one with a single eyehole through which a flash of red…

_Obey/Destroy/Demolish_

…Kurama staggered as an attack hit him, then roared as his memory supplied him with what had happened. The masked figure had a used a _Mangekyo_ _Sharingan_ on him and commanded him to destroy the village before him, the one called Konohagakure.

As if he had even needed to be ordered!

Taking another step forwards, Kurama opened his jaws and began generating a _Bijudama_ , aiming it at the red-painted tower at the base of the cliff with four heads engraved on it. Once he had destroyed the building, he would tear the faces off the mountain and…

" _Kuchiyose: Yatai kuzushi no jutsu_!"

What felt like a fleshy mountain landed on Kurama and even as he released the _Bijudama_ , the world blinked around him and chains lashed out from the mouth of a cave in the mountain he was now lying beside. A moment later, immense pain lanced through him and he saw the wrapped figure that the woman was placing in the middle of a complex fuuinjutsu array.

Realizing their plan in a flash of insight, Kurama stabbed his claw at the infant in a frantic attempt to kill it before it could be used against him. After all, if they had no-one capable of holding him, they could not seal him away again. However, the woman moved to block his strike, as did the man who had summoned the toad onto him and transported him away from claiming his revenge.

As the duo were pierced by his claw, the fuuinjutsu array flared and Kurama felt the world being torn away from him once more.

"NOOOOOOOOOO!"

After an eternity of agony, Kurama found himself lying on a cold, rocky floor. Looking around, he found himself staring out of the prison cell that he was trapped in, looking at the long tunnel that faded into darkness on the other side of the bars that held him captive once again. From the far end of that tunnel, he could hear the echoes of voices.

"… _love you, Naruto…"_

"… _goodbye, my son…"_

Kurama snarled, then lay down painfully, every joint and muscle protesting.

"You may have won this time, but I'll destroy your village yet." He growled as he closed his eyes, seeking the long-denied refuge of sleep once more.

.

_One day ago…_

Kurama opened his eyes slowly, then rose to his full height as he looked around in amazement.

No longer was he locked away in a Seal-enhanced prison, instead he was lying in the middle of a huge field of grass, one just next to what was either a very large stream or a fairly small river that flowed over a ridge of rock and into a large pond in which several fish swam lazily.

The air was clean and fresh with none of the scents that showed humans were in the area. The trees around him were all healthy except for one which had obviously been hit by lightning at some time in the past as the jagged stump was starting to sprout new branches.

"Am I… free?" He wondered to himself, then he pulled himself to his paws and started to explore the region that he had mysteriously found himself in.

.

The sun had set and risen again as Kurama explored the huge island where he had awoken. The island was almost circular and with a cluster of mountains in the middle that surrounded a lake large enough that even at his full size, Kurama could have immersed himself in it.

Despite how relaxing the island was (and how tasty the local wildlife was, not that he actually _needed_ to eat), the thing that had grabbed Kurama's attention was the giant cave gouged into the side of one of the mountains and the giant sheet of mirror-like rock set into the cliff-face near it. Either one would have been an indication that the island was not as it first appeared (especially since the cave included a depression filled with an odd, spongy moss that turned it into a comfortable bed) but both together? And with the mirror-like rock being rectangular in shape?

Very suspicious.

As Kurama peered at the rock, it started to glow, then it seemed to go transparent to reveal a human looking back at him, a blond boy with an odd metal thing over one eye.

" _Hello? Can you hear me?"_

Kurama snarled and the boy shrugged.

" _Sphere says that you're sentient, so I'm going to assume you understand me. Apparently you were sealed inside me, but Sphere pulled you out and made a sort-of-pretend, sort-of-real island for you. A big one, with plenty of food and stuff, not that you actually need it according to him. Anyway, you're no longer inside me but Sphere is using your energy to keep your island going as well as to fix himself up. If you want anything, water, rain, books, whatever, just ask and Sphere'll send them to you."_

Kurama tilted his head quizzically and the boy smiled.

" _So, I'm Uzumaki Naruto, future Hokage! If you hear Sphere refer to a Prime Unit, that's me too. Apparently there're some gems set into the cliff around the screen… whatever that means. The red one turns it on and off, the long one by the side makes the sound go up and down and if you touch the screen, it'll show you what channels are available. Wow, wish I had a telly like that… huh? I can? Cool. Oh, right. Um, if you ever want to talk to me, just touch the green gem and say my name. I don't know yours, so unless you tell me otherwise, I'll call you…_ Kyuubi _as you have nine tails. Is that okay?"_

Kurama simply stared at the boy on the screen and he started to fidget.

" _Um, yeah. So, I gotta do stuff, so have fun doing… whatever you like doing. Bye!"_

The screen reverted to mirror-like obsidian and Kurama sat on his haunches, considering what he had just learned. The boy had obviously been the one that had been intended to be his prison, so he was no longer sealed within a human. However, his talk of a not-quite-real island indicated that wherever he was, it wasn't the world that he had once strode fearlessly across.

The main thing, though, was that he now had things he could do. He could topple trees, eat the animals that tried to flee him, drink from the river…

While he may still be in a cage, it was one so large that he could not see the bars which held him.

There were worse prisons to be held in, after all…

Kurama's thoughts juddered to a halt, then he grinned as a thought occurred to him.

"Sphere, give me a Konoha to destroy."

The ground shivered and when he turned round, it was to find himself standing atop the cliff-with-faces, staring down at the village which he so desired to see turned into ashes. As the first shouts of alarm rose, Kurama bared his teeth and launched himself off the cliff, claws extended and teeth bared.

.

Kurama sank down into the mossy hollow, feeling it conform to perfectly support his body, as he spat out the rafter that he had been chewing on.

After destroying the counterfeit Konoha three times, he felt at least partially vindicated and slightly tired. Each time that he had attacked, the natives had counter-attacked in different ways, trying but ultimately failing to protect their village from his wrath.

Admittedly, by the third time was over, they had actually come up with a few techniques that had, however briefly, slowed him down slightly.

Kurama closed his eyes and smiled slightly.

Perhaps he would ask Sphere to create the other villages too. Destroying them could be fun, if not as immediately satisfying as destroying Konoha.

A yawn escaped him and Kurama snuggled down, allowing himself to slip into sleep, perchance to dream.

For now, he was content.

.

_Now…_

Kurama glanced at the screen, then settled down to watch as an old man talked to his former jailor on the screen.

"… _what's with the fuzzball who used to be inside me?"_ Naruto asked and Kurama growled in displeasure.

He would need to train that boy to be more respectful.

Then again, he had got an entire island out of it, so perhaps _some_ leeway was allowable under the circumstances…

* * *

_._

**Debriefing And Decisions**

Sarutobui Hiruzen jolted awake as _something_ changed nearby, rolling to his feet with a speed better suited to a shinobi half his age and his eyes snapped open as his feet landed on cold metal rather than the expected wooden floor.

"Hello, Jiji!" A familiar voice said in greeting and Hiruzen frowned as he looked around, internally pulsing his chakra to ensure that it wasn't a dream or a genjutsu.

"Naruto? Is that you? Where are we?"

"It's me and we're in the Sphere." Naruto said as he stepped into view and Hiruzen felt his heart miss a beat at the sight of metal obviously replacing part of Naruto's face and the mechanical hand protruding from his sleeve. "I need your advice, jiji. _We_ need your advice. That's why I had you brought here."

Hiruzen looked around at the mechanical surroundings lit by a green-tinged light.

"Naruto, what happened and how did you find this place?"

"Well, it's kinda a long story." Naruto said, rubbing the back of his head in an action that reassured Hiruzen with its normality. "You see, I was exploring a tunnel and…"

}-{

"…and so I asked Sphere to bring you here to talk." Naruto finished as the Kyuubi watched from a giant screen nearby. "For starters, what's with the fuzzball who used to be inside me?"

The Kyuubi growled and Hiruzen steeled himself for a long conversation.

"I had intended to tell you when you became a Genin, but since you've found out about the most important part, you deserve to know. You aren't the first Jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi."

" **Mito and Kushina."** The Kyuubi growled and Hiruzen nodded.

"Quite. Mito held the Kyuubi until just before she died, when she transferred it to her niece, Kushina. She in turn contained it until it escaped eight years ago."

" **When she gave birth to you."** The Kyuubi interjected.

"Wait, my mom was named Kushina?" Naruto asked excitedly. "So who was my dad?"

" **The Toad-riding bastard who sealed me in you."** The Kyuubi growled before Hiruzen could try to stop him. **"You humans called him The Fourth Hokage."**

"The Fourth was my dad?" Naruto gasped and Hiruzen nodded.

"He was. And if _anyone_ finds out, all those who hated him will send hundreds of assassins to try and kill you."

Naruto paled and Hiruzen gave a mental nod at the proof that his favorite orphan understood at least some of the perils that he faced.

"What… what now?" Naruto asked and Hiruzen frowned slightly.

"Naruto… your… new limb…"

"Yeah, my left arm and both legs needed to be replaced." Naruto nodded, then he tilted his head questioningly. "Why?"

"You'll need to find a way to conceal them. At least for a while." Hiruzen sighed. "Although some of the Suna Shinobi use puppet limbs to replace lost arms or legs, no-one would believe that you had learned that skill so quickly. As for your eye…"

Naruto's face seemed to go blank for a long moment.

"Naruto?"

"Huh? Oh, sorry. I was talking to Sphere, he mentioned something called Holographic technology that would make it look like my limbs were normal… and make it so that people wouldn't know I had a new eye. The bits'll be ready in an hour, then I'll need to have them installed, so… want me to get Sphere to send you back to your home? I'll come over once I've got everything working."

"That sounds like a good idea." Hiruzen agreed, then the world seemed to vanish in a veil of green sparkles that faded to reveal his bedroom and a rather surprised ANBU.

"Lord Hokage!"

"Call off the search for Naruto." Hiruzen commanded as he moved to his desk and turned the chair around so that he could sit down. "He's safe."

"As you command, Lord Hokage!" The ANBU saluted, then vanished in a flurry of short-lived leaves.

.

Hiruzen paused mid-sip as a column of oddly-angular green sparkles burst into life in front of him, dissipating to reveal Naruto, looking just like he had done before his temporary absence.

"Interesting technique." Hiruzen allowed as he returned his cup to the desk and reached for the teapot. "I had wondered what it looked like when one _isn't_ the one using it. What range do you have with it?"

"All of Konoha and a few miles outside it for now." Naruto said after a pause. "Sphere says that with a relay placed on top of the Hokage Mountain, that'll increase the range to almost a hundred miles as well as letting his scanners cover that distance."

Hiruzen frowned as he mulled over the possibilities.

"I'll give permission, as long as you or Sphere come up with a way of giving the Sensor Department access to the result."

"Would a map-screen work?" Naruto asked. "Maybe a table-one, they could touch it to zoom in and as shinobi are identified, tags could be added."

Hiruzen gave a slow nod. "Alright… but their privacy within the walls of Konoha is important. Locations of people are only to be shown outside the wall unless we are under attack or it's needed for an investigation."

"Can I have Sphere put shield emitters and phasers along the walls?" Naruto inquired. "I mean, it'll take a while, he'll need to extend power and control conduits along under the walls, but once they're in place, it'll mean _no-one_ will be able to attack us."

Hiruzen's contemplative frown deepened. "Naruto… what is a _phaser_?"

.

Hiruzen watched his ward vanish in a shower of green sparkles, then leaned back.

"Well, that was interesting." He mused, then he turned to stare at an empty corner. "So, now that we have time, what did you wish to see me about?"

"How long have you known I was here, Lord Hokage?" Uchiha Itachi asked curiously as he seemed to fade into view.

"I detected you even before you slipped in through the upstairs window." Hiruzen said and Itachi bowed slightly in recognition of superior talent. "So, what's happened?"

"It's Shisui… He's dead." Itachi stated in an apparently calm voice that almost succeeded in hiding the anguish underneath and Hiruzen leaned forwards intently, the cooling cup of tea forgotten.

"Report."

.

Hiashi briefly activated his _Byakugan_ as the Jinchuuriki scurried past on his way to the Academy to check once again that the Seal wasn't leaking. Although he knew that it had been set in place by the Yondaime (who had been renowned for his _Fuuinjutsu_ ) , it had been done in a hurry and as such, it was not unlikely that a minor error or two could have crept in.

The chakra-flows snapped into focus and Hiashi, for the first time in his life, stumbled over his own feet, landing full-length on the street as he saw something that he hadn't expected. The shock of his landing caused his _Byakugan_ to deactivate itself, but he had already seen the most important thing.

The Jinchuuriki… _wasn't_!

The roiling mass of crimson chakra embedded in his lower torso wasn't there any more!

Pulling himself to his feet, Hiashi set off for the Hokage Tower.

The Hokage needed to know!

.

"Yes, Hiashi, I already knew."

Hiashi stared at Hiruzen, who looked back at him with an expression that most would read as sober, but which Hiashi knew was covering considerable amusement.

"You… knew?"

"I knew."

Hiashi closed his eyes for a moment as he fought to bring his whirling mind back under control. Finally, he felt able to speak again without risking making a fool of himself.

"So… is the beast free?"

"For a given value of free, yes." Hiruzen said with a slight smirk. "But don't worry, he won't return any time soon."

Hiashi stared blankly at Hiruzen, then decided to forge ahead regardless.

"His legs and left arm were also different. Almost like a Suna Puppet, but different."

Hiruzen nodded. "I expected the Hyuuga clan to see through the technique he uses to conceal how his bloodlimit has manifested. I would appreciate it if you could warn your clan not to make a fuss about it. When it is time for him to reveal what he can do with it, he will, but until then…"

"With no clan to train him in the ways of his _kekkei genkai_ , he will need to experiment." Hiashi nodded in understanding. "I shall pass the word."

"Good." Hiruzen leaned back in his chair. "Anything else while you're here?"

"Well," Hiashi frowned, "The Uchiha clan has been acting oddly recently…"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And this was as far as I got. I've left it open as to whether or not Naruto and the Sphere can either stop the Uchiha Massacre or rescue the non-combatants. Either one would make a huge difference to how future events play out and by the time of the invasion, the walls of Konoha would be reinforced and mounting concealed weapons that would vaporize the summoned snakes.  
> Beyond that... all plans departed with my Muse.


	18. A Temporary Sensei

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Maruboshi Kosuke is one of the most badass secondary characters in Kishimoto's Naruto and deserves more attention.  
> Hopefully this will inspire someone.

"…and Uzumaki Naruto. Your Jonin-Sensei will be Hatake Kakashi once he recovers." Iruka said, causing Naruto to pause mid-cheer and Sakura to freeze mid-complaint.

"Once he recovers?" Sakura repeated. "Sensei… what does that mean? Do we have to wait for him to recover before we can take missions and so on?"

"An interim Sensei has been arranged." Iruka reassured the worried Kunoichi. "He'll be here after lunch, as will the others."

"Hey, Sakura, want to come with me to Ichi…" Naruto began, only for a fist to impact on top of his skull.

"Dammit Naruto, _no_! I! Will! Not! Go! On! A! Date! With! You!"

"Ow." Naruto muttered as he rubbed at his tender head. "What did I do wrong this time?"

Both of them missed the glare that Hinata sent at Sakura.

.

"Team ten, with me." The bearded Jonin said from the door and Naruto watched the Ino-Shika-Cho trio make their way out of the room.

"Team eight." The red-eyed Kunoichi called and Naruto grinned at Kiba.

"Good luck with the test."

"I don't need luck, I've got Akamaru here." Kiba boasted as he sauntered past.

"I was _speaking_ to Akamaru."

"Hey!"

Hinata fought down her giggles as she scurried out of the room, then the last man in the doorway looked at them and Naruto took the chance to examine their temporary Sensei who was wearing a giant Wok on his back and had a wooden peg replacing one of his legs.

"Team seven, come with me." The man said before he turned and walked off. Naruto dashed for the door and promptly got jammed in it as Sasuke tried to nip through in front of him.

"Dammit, teme, get out of my way!"

"Shut up, Dobe! I'm the Rookie of the year, I lead!"

.

The training ground that their sensei led them to was a clearing with a small waterfall ending in a pool at the bottom of the low cliff. Several fallen logs acted as benches and a stump had been carved into a seat which their Sensei took, motioning for them to sit down.

"So, introductions." He said. "My name is Maruboshi Kosuke and until your Jonin-Sensei Hatake Kakashi finishes recovering from his mission, I will be leading and training you all. I have been trained by the first two Hokages and fought alongside the Third before he was appointed to the office and had the Fourth under my command in the field while he was still a Genin. I understand the true strengtsh of Konoha, its teamwork and it's Will of Fire, and I will do my best to ensure that you understand them as well. Now, girl, introduce the dark-haired one to me."

Sakura jolted. "Erm, he's Uchiha Sasuke and he's the Rookie of the Year! He's the coolest person ever!"

"And what about his skills?" Kosuke prompted. "Likes? Dislikes? Dreams? Strengths and weaknesses? Elemental affinity? Bloodlimits?"

Sakura looked blank. "Erm, he's good at fighting and throwing things? Oh, and he has the Sharingan!"

Sasuke growled and Sakura seemed to shrink slightly. "What?"

"I don't have it _yet_." Sasuke grumbled.

"It looks like you don't know the teme as well as you thought, Sakura!" Naruto laughed.

"Then _you_ introduce him to me." Kosuke riposted.

"Sure, this is Uchiha Sasuke, the so-called _Last Uchiha_ after his brother went mad and killed the clan, making him an orphan like me. He doesn't like anything, especially girls squealing about him, but he trains a lot. He can do a fireball thing and… he's arrogant. Good at fighting, though, I'll beat him one day!"

"Sasuke, anything you'd like to correct?"

Sasuke glared at the other two. "I like tomatoes. I hate fangirls who are too stupid to try and be strong and instead want me to rescue them. And my dream is to kill my brother before rebuilding my clan… _without_ the help of fangirls!"

Sakura froze, unable to speak as Sasuke glared at her.

"Okay. Sasuke, introduce the girl to me."

"Haruno Sakura. Bookworm, pathetic fangirl. Hopeless and annoying." Sasuke sniffed.

"You take that back!" Naruto half-shouted. "Sure, she can be mean, but when I was young, she shared her lunch with me when I was hungry!"

"I did?" Sakura asked. "I don't remember that."

"You were my first friend." Naruto shrugged. "But I still don't get why you won't go anywhere with me…"

"That's because you keep asking me on dates!"

"Isn't that what friends do?"

"No! Friends hang out together, its _boyfriends_ and _girlfriends_ who go on dates to see if they want to marry each other!"

"Why does no-one tell me things like that!" Naruto flung his hands wide in annoyance. "See? Sakura's brainy, she knows things I don't! You want to know the different types of Kunai or poltocol stuff, you ask her and she knows."

"All this time, you were just trying to be a _friend_?" Sakura mumbled in confusion as she thought back over the years spent fending off Naruto.

"Sakura!" Kosuke's calling of her name snapped her back to reality. "Introduce the blond boy to me please."

"Oh, right. Um, this is Uzumaki Naruto, he's an orphan. He doesn't like class and often skips, but on the exercise portions, he just keeps going. His throwing skills are… bad and he can't do the _Bunshin_ …"

"Don't need to, I've got something better now." Naruto gloated.

"…but his stamina and determination are amazing, except for the fact he tends to be very annoying… without understanding _why_ he's being annoying."

"Well, if people would _explain_ it to me…" Naruto grumbled just loudly enough to be heard.

"Sasuke?" Kosuke prompted.

"Uzumaki Naruto. Idiot, can't read, can't fight."

"I managed to beat up Mizuki." Naruto protested, then he seemed to shrink into himself. "Um, ignore that. Jiji says it's classified."

"You can't read?" Sakura asked and Naruto shook his head.

"I _can_ read! Well, some of it… a bit? Look, it's hard learning with no-one to teach you…"

Kosuke stroked his chin thoughtfully. "I see. Sakura, would you be willing to spend some of your non-mission time teaching Naruto how to read properly? It would help him become a better shinobi and you could also instruct him in the difference between wanting to be a _friend_ and wanting to be a _boyfriend_ , thus making him less annoying to you."

Sakura nodded. "Yes, Sensei."

"Well then, let's test out your fighting skills, shall we?" Kosuke smiled as he stood up.

"Ooh! Me first!" Naruto cheered, bouncing to his feet.

.

"Ow." Naruto grumbled as Sakura used the medical kit Kosuke had handed her to cut away the shredded sleeve in preparation of cleaning and bandaging the scraped arm Naruto had suffered after he had landed badly.

" _You are trying to use the Intercepting Fist without the Sharingan but without working on your speed? That is a bad decision, Sasuke."_

"He's good, isn't he?" Sakura sked, concentrating on spreading the antiseptic salve over the cuts and gouges in Naruto's forearm.

"Yeah, even when I used my clones, I couldn't land a hit on him." Naruto agreed, then he flinched as Sakura dabbed at one of the deeper cuts. "Ow!"

" _Your anger can strengthen you, but you need to learn to_ control _it. If it controls_ you _, it only makes you weaker!"_

"You need to learn how to pack your kunai pouch properly so that they don't spill out." Sakura sighed. "They taught that at the Academy… I think you skipped that lesson."

Naruto shrugged as Sakura began winding gauze around his arm. "Yeah, probably. Most of it seemed so _boring_ and sitting still for that long? How does _anyone_ do it?"

" _Using a fireball in close-range combat? Easy to interrupt and it leaves you vulnerable. Only do it at a distance or as a surprise attack!"_

"You are rather hyperactive." Sakura agreed, cutting the gauze and tucking the loose end in. "There, leave it on for at least a day and try not to get it wet."

Naruto nodded, then grabbed Sakura and dived to one side, ignoring her surprised yelp. As she sat up, preparing to yell at him, she saw Sasuke lying dazed at the bottom of the tree Naruto had been leaning against, a slight dent in the bark showing that had she not been pulled out of the way, Sasuke would have flattened her.

Kosuke limped across and looked at the dazed boy before nodding.

"He'll be alright, he's just dazed. Sakura, time to show me what you can do."

Sakura swallowed nervously as she clambered to her feet.

.

"That was sorta fun." Naruto mused as he walked down the street. "I learned _loads_ from him and it was only our first day! And that memory trick with my clones he showed me? Super-useful."

Sakura _hmm_ 'd in agreement from Naruto's back as she rested her chin on the top of his head.

"And that was a great idea of yours too, using my clones to switch you out when needed!" Naruto continued. "I _knew_ you were super-bright!"

"Thanks, Naruto." Sakura smiled.

"All those things you explained to me, that I needed to know…" Naruto continued. "Thanks for promising to explain the differences between boys and girls, I had to rely on magazines for what girls look like without clothes."

"Actually, I think I'll have Dad deal with that one." Sakura shuddered at the thought of giving Naruto _The Talk_. "I'm sure he can explain it without making you too embarrassed to listen to me in the future."

"Why would I be embarrassed?" Naruto asked and Sakura sighed.

"Never mind. Left here."

Naruto made the turning, using the chance to shift Sakura slightly on his back so that she was more secure as she continued talking.

"We'll have to use some of your clones to get you caught up… Sensei told me how to use them while you and Sasuke were sparring. He also gave me a medical scroll to read, said I did a very good job with your arm. By the way, how is it?"

"It isn't aching any more."

"Really?" Sakura mused. "Huh, sounds like you may have some sort of bloodlimit after all… and it would explain your stamina. Fast healing… yeah, that would do it."

"I don't get it." Naruto complained.

Sakura paused as she considered how to explain. "Your healing takes away some of the tiredness?"

"Oh! Now I get it!" Naruto crowed. "You're really smart!"

"Thanks…" Sakura yawned. "Wow, wish _I_ had some of that fast healing… um, right here."

"Okay!"

.

"Chakra training." Kosuke declared from where he was standing on the cliff-face at right-angles to the ground. "Get it right and you can get almost anywhere. Now, have you learned the leaf exercise yet?"

"It kept flying away or blowing up." Naruto half-whispered.

"Really? How interesting. Naruto, go over to the stream and wait for me there while I start the other two off." Kosuke said as he stepped back to the ground. Now, you two, lie on the grass with your feet against the cliff face and channel a little bit of chakra through the soles of your feet. Push it into the rock…"

.

"Wahoo! This is awesome!" Naruto caroled as he leapt and dropped into random fighting poses on top of the small pond. "I can water-walk!"

"That's great, Naruto!" Sakura called as she slowly walked up the cliff. Sasuke didn't reply as he was too busy trying to cushion his fall as he slipped down the cliff again.

"Keep it up for another half-hour, Naruto, then you can start on trying to tree-walk." Kosuke said approvingly. "Sasuke, you need to use a bit more chakra, otherwise you'll keep slipping. Start the exercise again and see mow much chakra it takes to secure your feet so you can't pull them off the cliff… If you need more help, ask Sakura. She looks like she's got it down."

* * *

.

"Hello!" the silver-haired masked man greeted them jovially. "It's nice to finally meet you all. My name is Hatake Kakashi and I'll be your Jonin-Sensei from this point on... assuming you pass my test."

"Ah, man." Naruto grumbled. "I miss Kosuke-Sensei already.

"Maah, maah, that's not very nice." Kakashi scolded Naruto while pulling a pair of bells out of his pocket while putting an alarm clock down on the stump. "Now, the test is simple. I have two bells here and to pass, you need to get one…"

.

"…and I'll be leading you until Kakashi gets out of hospital… _again_." Kosuke said, a slight smile on his face. "By the way, Sasuke? I got what happened from Kakashi, your plan was excellent."

"Naruto and Sakura contributed…" Sasuke jabbed one toe into the dirt. "They're not _that_ weak… and Naruto's _Henge_ is useful…"

"Kakashi was quite shocked when _Naruto_ spat a fireball at him." Kosuke chuckled. "Now, since we have a few days to work with, what do you wish to learn?"


	19. Travelling Shinobi

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> KaousuShin has adopted this one-shot. [You can find their version here.](https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12207095/1/Vanishing-Kid)

**Prologue**

Konohagakure, also known as Konoha.

The largest of the Great Five Shinobi Villages, Konoha is also the oldest, being formed as a result of an alliance between the Senju and Uchiha clans, former enemies who wished to do more than simply lose their members to the never-ending warfare that ravaged the lands.

When the Senju and the Uchiha set up a fortified camp in the shadow of a large cliff, making sure to place guard-posts and barracks above to provide security against those who would try to launch raids against them, the other clans took notice. Some of the clans chose to attack and lost heavily, discovering that a reinforced position is a great force-multiplier. Other clans chose to move further away and seek out places where they could form their own Villages.

And some clans chose to ally themselves with the new Village, either as distant allies (such as the Uzumaki) or as full members of the Village, such as the Hyuuga.

With the two strongest _Dojutsu_ clans supporting the village, the newly-named Konohagakure was seen as being the first true Superpower. It's reputation of strength attracted other clans, the semi-bestial Inuzuka and their intelligent canine companions, the brute-force Akamichi, the illusion-weaving Kurama, the Nara who planned in the shadows that they used, the quiet Aburame who simply wished to live in symbiosis with their many bugs, the Yamanaka who often delved into the minds of others. Others came from further away, bringing their own outlooks and traditions to Konoha, increasing its strength.

And with that strength, Konoha made a decision that allowed it to look outwards, it welcomed those who were not shinobi. The civilians slowly took over much of the support structure, growing crops, raising animals, overseeing the placement of wells, water pipes and sewers as the Village outgrew its walls again and again. With the civilians taking care of the background tasks, the Shinobi could concentrate more on what lay beyond their walls, staving off threats before they could approach and making alliances.

The other Villages also followed suit, seeing the prosperity that Konoha enjoyed, but their own philosophies prevented them from attaining the same advantages.

The acceptance of civilians and refugees had another effect, one which most overlooked. Konoha was seen as the most approachable of the Shinobi villages, the one that did not disdain those who sought its services. This brought in more wealth for Konoha and also raised its reputation as being the Village who _cared_ for others. A reputation which was _generally_ true.

But people are people and rumors abound. After the incident which cost the Fourth Hokage his life and caused the Third to return from his retirement, new rumors went round, rumors placed by those who sought to control one who would one day be a powerful Shinobi, or to limit him that he would not be able to turn against the Village he lived in.

And those who listened to those rumors occasionally acted in ways that the originators had not foreseen, with results that they would not have desired.

.

The young boy muttered as he returned from his failed errand to find that once again, the orphanage had locked its doors, condemning him to another cold night under the stars. Even as he thought it, he felt the first drops of rain hitting him.

"Kami damn it!" He growled as he stomped away, seeking at least partial shelter under a nearby tree or bush. "I _wish_ I wasn't here!"

 _Sometimes, apparently inconsequential or apparently meaningless events may change the world.  
__The boy was unaware that he was the son of the Yondaime Hokage, Namikaze Minato, and his wife, Uzumaki Kushina, the Red-hot Habenero and Princess of Whirlpool.  
He was totally unaware that when the Kyuubi no Kitsune had been sealed into him by means of a sealing masterwork that had cost both parents their lives to perform, the seal had incorporated a _Hiraishin _seal, one that Minato had placed almost by reflex and, since its positioning meant that it wouldn't interfere with the main function of the seal, was allowed to remain.  
__Because Minato and Kushina both died to seal the Kyuubi, no-one knew about the accidental addition to the seal.  
Even Jiraiya failed to spot it due to the complexity of the main seal and so he failed to consider what might happen if even a tiny tendril of the Kyuubi's Chakra managed to slip through and interact with it.  
__The frustration and depression that Naruto felt that night allowed such a tendril through, a tendril that touched the_ Hiraishin _portion of the seal, supercharging it and changing it very, very slightly.  
__That one little alteration would change_ everything _._

Naruto blinked. Somehow, odd stars had popped up. Although he couldn't see them, he was suddenly aware of them in a way that he couldn't describe, as well as everything within a dozen feet or so of the odd little stars.

And one of them was in a warm, dry place with what looked like a large hut and trees laden with fruits he had never seen before.

Naruto _reached_ out for the star, and vanished from Konoha, startling the old woman who had been watching him head towards his normal bush and its insufficient shelter with gleeful satisfaction from the window of her office.

"…oh crap!" The woman whispered in horror. "Danzo's going to _kill_ me!"

.

Naruto stumbled as the ground under his sandal-clad feet changed from damp soil to sand. Looking round, he felt his mouth watering at the sight of the slightly-overgrown garden which boasted many bushes and trees burdened with berries, fruits and other things that he had never seen before. Running over to the closest bush and trying to no fall as the sand shifted under his feet, he reached the tree and pulled at the pinkish fruit hanging down. As soon as it was in his hand, he took a bite of it and wriggled in pleasure at the sweet taste while the juice from the fruit trickled down his chin.

All too soon, all that was left was the large, wrinkled stone-like center which Naruto quickly dropped even as he reached for a second one of the heavenly fruits. Soon, he was finishing off the fifth fruit and feeling happily full, albeit slightly nauseus from the accumulated sweetness.

.

"Report!"

"There's been an unexpected change in the internal chakra levels, sir." The leader of the _Kekkai-Han_ stated. "The bubble in the Water Sensing Sphere that represented Uzumaki Naruto has vanished, but there was no matching ripple to show _how_ he disappeared. He's gone, but he _hasn't_ passed through the _Kanchi Kekkai_!"

"Vanished?" Sarutobi Hiruzen scowled at the sphere of water as if it somehow held the answer. "Vanished _how_? At this time of night, he should be at the Orphanage in his bed… ANBU!"

A hooded and masked figure appeared out of nowhere, dropping down to one knee as it awaited the Hokage's command. "Send an agent to check out the orphanage. If Naruto isn't there, bring the Overseer to my office!"

The figure vanished and Hiruzen turned his attention back to the leader of the Barrier Team.

"You did well to report this to me." He said, causing the man to relax slightly. "Now, I want Konoha locked down. Change the formula if need be, but I want _everyone_ going in or out to be identified. And send word to the Kumo ambassador that the treaty negotiations are being put on hold!"

" _Hai_!"

.

Naruto pushed aside the curtain that blocked the doorway, giving a surprised yelp when the weights sewn into the bottom edge tapped against his legs. Stepping into the ground-floor room, he looked around the large room, seeing a staircase leading up the back wall to his left while an open-plan kitchen/dining area was visible behind the right of the central fireplace. Although the floor was covered in sand, gaps in it showed flagstones underneath and several pictures hung on the wall above the stairs. A doorway tucked under the stairs caught his attention, so Naruto darted through it and paused, finding himself outside once more, albeit under an angled roof leading to what looked like a small shed.

"Huh? What's that?"

Moving to the shed, Naruto reached out and pushed the hanging blinds aside.

"Yay! I needed to go! I really need a…"

.

"…shit."

The heartfelt exclamation seemed calm, but anyone with even the slightest knowledge of Hiruzen's personality or the ability to read emotional states would have known from the use of the profanity that the man that many called _The Professor_ and _The God of Shinobi_ was on the very edge of losing control of his temper and entering a berserk rage.

Cowering before him in a puddle of her own making was the woman assigned to the orphanage where Naruto had been placed in an attempt to ensure his safety from those who would seek to capture him for his burden or kill him due to his heritage. Hiruzen had believed that having a retired Jonin (who had been invalided out of active service) in charge would have provided enough protection to allow reinforcements to arrive.

He hadn't counted on the Jonin in question being one of the ones who couldn't be bothered to see the difference between the _Kunai_ and the _Scroll_ , though.

Only the presence of a Seal on her tongue had stayed his wrath and he had used careful questioning to eliminate the possibilities of who had placed it on her.

"ANBU. Take her to Inoichi and have him put her in a _secure_ cell." He ordered and a masked figure appeared from nowhere and vanished with the elderly lady. "Get me Jonin-Commander Nara, now! There's a diseased _root_ that needs to be dug up…"

.

The bed on the platform above the kitchen area had been somewhat dusty, but the mattress had been made of strong materials which had lasted for however long that small house had been abandoned, allowing Naruto to lie on the most comfortable futon he could ever remember lying on. Not a single lump or bulge poked into him and Naruto looked out of the window at the darkening sky before closing his eyes and allowing himself to fall asleep.

Oddly, he was actually looking forwards to the next day.

There were so many _stars_ to explore.

Some of which looked _really_ interesting.

.

"…interesting." Nara Shikaku muttered as Danzo shed the splint on his right arm, revealing it to be a pale-skinned limb in which several _Sharingan_ eyes were embedded.

"I _hate_ it when you say that!" Choza complained as he used an expanded fist to embed the few remaining _Root_ shinobi into a nearby wall.

"How did he get those eyes?" Itachi queried, stepping away from the corpse of Danzo's second-in-command, flicking his sword to clear it of blood. "They all look identical… cloned?"

"Sounds like _someone_ has been working with Orochimaru." Inoichi noted as he turned away from the two _Root_ Shinobi who had stabbed each other. "This could be… tricky."

"It is not often that a Hyuuga and an Uchiha fight alongside each other." Hizashi noted as he moved next to the young Jonin. "Hopefully this will be over in time for me to attend my niece's birthday tomorrow."

"Yeah, you may have a problem." A young voice said and Danzo snarled as a silver-haired chunin appeared in the doorway to his office. "While you were taking out his forces, I got a look at his secret files. Danzo's trying to stir up war between Konoha and Kumo by having the Kumo ambassador kidnap the Heir."

Hizashi froze, then his eyes narrowed. "Kakashi, inform the Hokage of this."

"I heard." Hiruzen stated as he walked into the cavern. "Danzo… you have gone too far. Hand Naruto back and I shall ensure that your death is swift and your reputation unmarred."

Danzo blinked. "What? You mean all of this is because you think _I_ kidnapped the Jinchuuriki?"

"…you don't know where he is." Hiruzen realized. "Your agent hadn't reported his kidnapping before I had her interrogated…"

"If the Jinchuuriki's gone, Konoha has been weakened." Danzo mused, then he snarled. "I _knew_ your passionless weakness would doom Konoha! Once you die, _I_ shall make Konoha great again!"

As he roared his last word, Danzo lunged forwards, a wooden sword forming in his hand.

* * *

_._

**Eight And Nine**

It was the sound of a worn sandal touching down that woke the large shinobi from his sleep. Rolling silently off his bed, he grabbed and donned his flak-jacket with the ease of long practice, then silently checked that the five swords were all in their sheaths, ready to be drawn and used in an instant.

Sidling to the door, the shinobi prepared to leap out, only to freeze at the sound of a muffled thud and yelp. Leaning round, his eyes widened at the sight of a young blond boy sat on the floor, rubbing his head and glaring at the table that he had obviously just bumped into. Deciding that any threat was minimal, the shinobi stepped into the boy's line of sight.

"Hello little one, welcome to my home. I gotta know, didja come here alone?"

The boy stared at him, the lump on his head forgotten and the Shinobi blinked as another face seemed to superimpose itself over the boy's quizzical expression.

"Who you?"

"I'm a super warrior, I use disturbance style.  
"If you fight me with kenjutsu, prepare for quite a trial.  
"I'm a really really powerful, amazing shinobi,  
"But you, my little friend, can call me Killer B!  
"And now you know my name, I think it's only right  
"That you tell me yours, little one with hair so bright.  
"Word!"

The young boy stared at him, mouth stretched wide in a huge grin.

"'m Naruto. Uzumaki Naruto."

"Nice to meet you, little 'Ruto!" Killer Be laughed, then he paused. "Huh, well, well, well. Ain't that interesting? Gyuki says you hold the Kyuubi. You're a Jinchuuriki like me!"

Naruto stared at him in confusion and B used the pause to scoop Naruto up and perch him on the edge of the table, his feet dangling.

"So, little brother, where you from?"

"…konoha…"

"Ah, Konoha." B nodded as his guess was confirmed. "Old man Hiruzen still in charge there?"

"…Jiji?"

"He doin' well?"

Naruto frowned in thought, then nodded. "He _old_."

"Old but strong." B laughed as he moved to the stove and lit it, moving the kettle onto the flames. "So, since it's early, I think a good cup of coffee is called for. You want one?"

"…what coffee?"

"Hot drink." B said. "I don't think I've got much in the way of fruits for breakfast, though."

"I get!" Naruto chirped, then he vanished, leaving B staring in shock at the now-empty table.

"What the…?"

After almost a minute during which B simply stared in shock at the place that Naruto had been in, the kettle started to whistle and B quickly moved it off the stove, then he grabbed two mugs and a jar of coffee beans. Tipping the beans into a small grinder, he turned the handle several times, then poured the water into the mugs, stirring them to ensure a smooth consistancy.

"'M back!"

B jolted as Naruto _blinked_ into existence in a manner _incredibly_ reminiscent of the Yondaime Hokage, a bag filled with various fruits in his hands.

"That's great! Let me wash them clean and cut them up an' we can have ourselves a great fruit salad! If you have more, you could even sell it to get things like new clothes or other types of food." B smiled as he moved one of the chairs to by the sink. "Now you wash your hands, don't want you eaing dirt, it's not very good for you."

"'kay!" Naruto chirped and B accepted the bag of fruit, emptying it out onto the worktop. As Naruto scrubbed his hands with far more enthusiasm than actual progress, B used a knife to carve the fruits into small chunks after quickly rinsing them, dropping the pieces into two bowls, one larger than the other. Dropping a spoon into each bowl, he put them on the table, pulled a small carton of milk out of his fridge and then moved the coffee mugs to by the bowls.

"Okay, dry your hands and let's eat."

Naruto scrambled into the second chair and reached for his spoon eagerly, only to pause as Bee raised one hand.

" _Itadakimasu_." B prompted.

"Itsadankimatsu." Naruto stumbled over the long word and B chuckled.

"Close enough. Dig in."

As Naruto started shoveling the fruit into his mouth, B tasted one of the fruits he hadn't recognized.

"Mmmm, tasty."

"Mmmmhmm!" Naruto agreed, juice dribbling down his chin.

.

"So, little bro, does the old man know you're here?" B asked as he rinsed the bowls out and put them to drain.

Naruto looked thoughtful, then shrugged. "Dunno."

"Well, maybe you should check in on him." B suggested. "And any time you want to visit, you're welcome. Always good to meet another Jinchuuriki."

"Wassa Jinchuki?"

"We are." Be wiped his hands clean. "We hold in us beasts of _great_ power. As we grow, we can use that power ourselves, it makes us _strong_. Those of us who are really good can _talk_ to them, make friends with them, learn from them and when we're good friends, we can work together in battle."

"…really?" Naruto gasped and B nodded.

"Yep, Gyuki and I, we work together and sometimes, he lets me borrow a tail… like this!"

Naruto's eyes widened as a tentacle-like appendage appeared and took the towel B was using to dry his hands on, putting it back on the hook it had been hanging from before vanishing.

"Coooooool!"

"B! Who's that? What's going on?"

Naruto let out an _eep_ of shock, then vanished just before a white-haired shinobi barreled into the room, a large sword in his hands.

"Not cool, Darui." B sighed. "Not cool. Listen, I gotta talk to Big Bro. Konoha's Jinchuuriki just dropped by to say hi and I _think_ he's the Yondaime's son."

Darui's jaw dropped in shock.

.

Sarutobi Hiruzen was a very worried man.

The child of his successor/predecessor had vanished and after he had confronted Shimura Danzo in what had turned into a fight to the death, it had come to light that Danzo truly _hadn't_ been behind Naruto's sudden absence, although the old Warhawk had been behind many other secret operations that had threatened to destabilize the political landscape enough to trigger another Shinobi World War.

Tracker teams had scoured the area beyond the walls, with no sign of Naruto, yet his Crystal Ball had completely failed to find the boy, so he wasn't _in_ Konoha, which left only kidnapping via Summons.

He had already sent a message to Jiraiya telling him to locate Orochimaru and check that he hadn't kidnapped…

"Sir!"

Hiruzen blinked as an ANBU seemed to materialise out of nowhere.

"Sir! Naruto was just spotted near Ichiraku's Ramen!"

Before the ANBU could continue, Hiruzen had vanished, showing a skill with the Shunshin that would have turned Shisui green with envy had he seen it.

.

"'Nother bowl, old man!" Naruto chirped and Teuchi laughed as he placed the bowl on the counter. "Itsadankimatsu."

To one side, Ayame was sorting through the large bag of strange fruits that Naruto had gathered, occasionally tasting one to check its flavor. At the end of the counter near her, a ninja was eating slices of fruit from a bowl, occasionally offering suggestions and opinions.

"Hokage-sama!" Teuchi said, noticing Hiruzen's arrival. "Naruto made a trade, a whole sack of fruits for five bowls of ramen."

"Really?" Hiruzen said, looking at where Ayame was working. "Where did you get those, Naruto?"

"From the island." Naruto smiled. "It has sandy beaches and fruit trees and a stream I could drink from and fruit trees and rocks to jump from and fruit trees a pool I can splash in and fruit _bushes_ and a house with picture in it. I borrow picture, who this, Jiji?"

Hiruzen accepted the picture and his eyes widened. The photo was of Namikaze Minato and Uzumaki Kushina on the day that they had moved into their new house together.

"Where did you _find_ this?"

"On the _Island_." Naruto stated with the type of _I'm-being-patient-with-the-stupid-adult_ tone that only young children can achieve. "Who they? They live on the Island? 'cause couldn't see them?"

"That's the Yondaime and the Habenero." Teuchi said with a raised eyebrow. "They both died a few years ago."

"That means island mine, yes?" Naruto asked. "I got island! Wahoo!"

"No, Naruto, you don't have an island. You're too young for…" Hiruzen began, looking round, then back…  
…at the empty space.

"Where did he go?"

Teuchi shrugged as he picked up the empty bowl.

"Island…" Hiruzen mused. "I wonder… If he returns, please inform me. However, I have a message that I need to send."

As he ambled off, he failed to notice an elderly Hyuuga hurrying off as well.

.

"Hiashi-Dono? Hiashi-Dono?"

The leader of the Hyuuga Clan looked up from the never-ending stream of paperwork on his desk with a mild sense of relief. Whatever the issue was, it would undoubtedly be better than the ongoing mess he was still wading through.

"Hiashi-Dono." The Branch Member bowed deeply in the doorway. "I apologize for disturbing you, but I have seen something quite extraordinary today."

"Enter." Hiashi waved for the man to sit in front of his desk and the Branch Member did so, dropping into a perfect _Sieza_ pose. "…What do you wish to report, Gosho?"

"The boy who holds the Kyuubi, Uzumaki Naruto, was at Ichiraku's Ramen Stand today. I witnessed the Hokage speak to him, then the boy vanished. I was watching with my _Byakugan_ and I saw the shape of the chakra he used… it was the _Hiraishin_!"

Hiashi blinked. "Are you certain?"

"I fought alongside the Yondaime during the last Great Shinobi War, Hiashi-Dono. I witnessed its use on several occasions."

"Incredible." Hiashi mused. "To have mastered one of his father's two Jutsu before even turning four… I wonder who his teacher is?"

"Hiashi-Dono… the Hokage was highly relieved to see Naruto was still safe. I… I was wondering something. The seal which the Yondaime used to bind the beast… what else could he have put in it?"

"…knowledge of how to use the _Hiraishin_ , perhaps?" Hiashi finished Gosho's thought. "A way to escape should he ever be in trouble… that would be just like him. How long do you think he has known it?"

"I would guess… just before the Kumo Incident, Lord Hiashi." Gosho mused. "It was his disappearance which led to the uncovering of the traitor Shimura's scheme to weaken us and bring us further under the control of the Hokage… a position he planned to claim for himself.

"Unusual timing, though." Hiashi frowned. "Why _that_ specific number of days… one thousand, one hundred and…"

""Seventy-two, Hiashi-Dono." Gosho offered. "I do not know, it is not a number that lends itself well to being encoded… especially not quickly."

"It is certainly something to consider." Hiashi nodded thoughtfully. "Thank you for bringing this to my attention, Gosho-san."

Gosho bowed deeply, then retreated from Hiashi's office.

.

The flashes of light from the whirling swords finally stopped as B ended his kata. Flexing his limbs, he threw three of his swords up into the air even as he sheathed the final two, then as the thrown swords descended, he caught each one and re-sheathed it with the ease of over a decade of practice.

"Cool!"

B turned and bowed to Naruto, who was watching from the doorway of B's house.

"Hey little bro, I say hello again.  
"Tis good to see ya, Ah's say it plain.  
"Ah finished my practice and now wanna drink,  
"Why don'tcha join me, watcha think?  
"Yo!"

Naruto giggled as B posed dramatically at the end of his impromptu rap.

"You funny."

"That's me, funny and _awesome_!" B declaimed as he started strutting towards Naruto, then he paused, sniffing the air. "Wow, that's that _heavenly_ smell?"

"Ramen!" Naruto cheered. "Swap fruits for it! Need to take bowls back after."

"Well, let me wash up first." B smiled down at his little friend. "After all, it wouldn't do to disrespect the Ramen with dirty hands."

Naruto laughed as he followed B into the house.

.

Teuchi handed the hammer to his daughter, then he carefully hung the picture on the hook he had fixed to the wall. From the picture frame, Teuchi and Ayame smiled out, flanking Naruto who was grinning hugely.

"That's done." Teuchi said with a firm nod and Ayame reached out to adjust the picture slightly. Teuchi's smile increased as he looked at the picture and the special tag concealed behind it, a tag which would let the son of his old friend visit whenever he wanted to.

A sudden noise behind him marked Naruto appearing with two empty bowls to be washed up.

.

B looked at the space where Naruto had been, then he moved to a bench underneath the window. Pulling the cushion off, he opened the revealed lid and looked down at the wrapped forms of ten lovingly-mantained tri-pronged Kunai that he had managed to acquire in memory of the men who had defeated him and his brother.

Picking on up, he looked at it for a long moment, then nodded firmly.

He had a plan.

It would take some time to put into practice, especially if he didn't want his brother to find out, but he would do it.

After all, he would hate to have to end up fighting his newest friend one day.

* * *

_._

**Feline**

Yugito Nii paused near the top of the staircase which rose from the bottom of the mountain to the plateau where her fellow Jinchuuriki chose to live. As she paused to regain her breath, her ears picked up a voice that she'd never heard before.

"Like this?"

"Just like that, little bro." B rumbled, proud satisfaction in his voice. "Now you've unlocked your chakra _properly_ , you'll be able to do far more than simply do those jumps of yours."

Yugito crept up the stairs as quietly as the namesake of the beast sealed within her. Reaching the top, she lowered herself so that her belly scraped the steps, then slowly slid upwards until she could peer over the topmost step.

The sight before her caused her eyes to widen in shock. B was sat in a meditative pose, something which was very unlike his usual always-moving, bombastic personality. Facing him was a young boy that she had never seen before, his blond hair shining in the sun and a Konoha leaf inscribed on the front of his shirt. As he turned slightly, her eyes widened further at the sight of the Uzumaki spiral covering most of his back.

Shifting her feet, Yugito gathered herself, then she launched herself forwards. Her steps were almost silent, but the boy somehow heard her coming and turned to look at her just as she leapt at him…  
…only to be snagged out of the air by B.

"Whoah! Easy there, Yugito-chan. This be Naruto, he's a friend."

Yugito adjusted her outfit to get rid of the wrinkles as B lowered her back to the ground, then she started circling the young boy.

"Naruto, hmmm? Are you from… Konoha?"

"Yep." Naruto nodded and Yugito felt her fists clench.

"What is someone from Konoha doing here? Is this another attempt to damage us like the Hyuuga thing?"

"Easy, easy." B placed his hand on her shoulder. "This is Naruto. He's the son of the Yondaime and he's here to learn how to use chakra and eventually talk with the Kyuubi like we talk with ours."

Yugito flinched back from the blond powerhouse. "The Kyuubi?!"

"Yep, Mr Nine, this is Miss Two, Nii Yugito, holder of the Nibi. You think I'm awesome with my fighting moves? She's better at everything else. Planning, teamwork, you name it, she's better."

"You say the nicest things." Yugito almost purred before she caught herself.

"So, I think we all need a drink. Thanks to Naruto, we got fresh milk from a farm in Wave his dad used to visit. Interested?"

Yugito found herself licking her lips before she could stop herself and B nodded. "Okay, be right back. Keep those talons sheathed, Yugito. He ain't a spy."

Yugito stared at B, then at Naruto, who shifted nervously under her gaze.

"What?"

"That's the longest I've ever heard him go without trying to rap." Yugito shook her head, then offered her hand to the boy. "You're helping him grow up. Nice to meet you, I'm Yugito Nii."

"Uzumaki Naruto, pleestameetchu."

Yugito paused as she mentally decoded the second part of his introduction, then she carefully reclaimed her hand from his enthusiastic shaking.

"So, how did you get the milk here from Wave?" Yugito asked curiously and Naruto shook his head.

"Sorry. Big Bro said not to tell anyone who don't ready know, ain't Hokage or on my team."

"And I don't know, I'm not the Hokage and I'm not on your team." Yugito nodded in understanding. "Very good. I see you've learned operational security."

Naruto's face scrunched in thought. "What's oppashal secaty?"

"It's pronounced _Operational Security_." Yugito corrected him. "It means not telling people what they don't need to know and keeping secret anything that should be kept secret."

"I… _think_ I get it." Naruto finally said, then he looked up as B dangled a large glass of milk in front of him.

"Drink up bro, you know it's good,  
"Strengthen bones as fresh milk should.  
"Big strong bones make you big and tough  
"Help you fight the rude and rough!  
"Yo!"

Yugito facepalmed with one hand as she accepted the large glass of milk from the tray with the other. Raising it to her lips, she took a sip and paused in shock, staring at the glass.

"Somefin wrong?" Naruto asked, wiping his milk mustache off.

"This is… this is…" Yugito paused and took another tentative sip. Seeing that Naruto had drained his own glass, she pulled him into a sudden hug, ignoring his yelp of shock.

"mmmph?"

"This is the _best_ milk I've ever had!" Yugito hugged Naruto, then released him so that she could pick up her milk and take a long, luxurious swallow of it.

"Hope you enjoyed that, lil' bro." B chuckled. "There's _lots_ of shinobi who'd love to be where you were… ow!"

"Jerk." Yugito grumbled as she pulled her hand back from the dope-slap that she had delivered and Naruto giggled at B's pout.

.

"Yugito."

"Sir." Yugito braced to attention as the Raikage put his weights down and turned his attention to her.

"So, my brother's newest friend. Your opinion of him?"

Yugito froze as she tried to decode the Raikage's expression, looking for clues as to what he wanted to know.

"You won't get in trouble, Yugito." A sighed as he leaned back in his chair, almost absently pressing his fists against each other in a set of isometric exercises. "I know who he is. I know who his parents were and that _he_ knows it too. His father managed to beat my brother and I in combat. But I _don't_ know _him_. Yet. Tell me about him."

"Yes, sir." Yugito took a breath. "Naruto is… eager. He loves learning and he's already unlocked his chakra."

"How old is he?" A interjected. "Darui didn't say."

"I haven't asked but I'd say about four or so." Yugito finally said. "B's running him through some basic Katas… _not_ his personal style! No, you remember that defector from Konoha during the early days of your father's rule? The one who brought those scrolls with him? Well, B's running him through the basic _Konoha_ Academy style."

"Good." A nodded. "We already know the weaknesses, so if he fights against us, we'll know how to take him down, but in the meantime, he feels gratitude to us. Chances of him defecting to us?"

"Slim to none." Yugito replied instantly, then she paused. "He's hoping to become the next Hokage, sir. Having a Hokage who is friendly with us…?"

" _A good friend is worth a thousand kunai_." A quoted. "Agreed. A friend in Konoha is worth the effort put in. A friendly Jinchuuriki doubly so. Any chance we could ask him to spy for us too?"

Yugito laughed despite her best efforts. "Sir, I don't think he could lie to save his life. Him? Spy? That would be like… like _you_ trying to go undercover as a Samurai, sir."

A snorted in amusement. "Point taken. A Hokage who can't lie? Hah! That would be interesting. He might be useful for relaying messages to and from Konoha, though. We wouldn't have to reveal how _we_ do it."

"I… hadn't actually considered that angle, sir." Yugito admitted.

"It'll help us with Konoha, too." A mused, pausing in his isometrics to rub his chin. "The Kamis know that we need to make up for Dad's stupid idea to grab a Hyuuga girl as breeding stock. Still not sure why the tree-huggers didn't push it harder"

For a long moment, the office was silent, then the Raikage shrugged.

"So, how's he paying for this?"

"Shopping trips, sir." Yugito's bemusement was evident. "That and fruit-gathering trips. Those Durian Fruits are _really_ tasty. I quite enjoyed the ramen he brought last time as well."

"…Ramen?" A queried, then he chuckled. "His mother was a _fiend_ for the stuff. When I was still a chunin, there was a running joke that to get her into a trap, you just had to set out a bowl of Ramen. Now _keeping_ her in the trap, on the other hand…"

A chuckled, then waved one hand. "Off you go, Yugito. And don't tell B that I know about his friend coming to visit all the time. He doesn't need to know that I know, let's allow him his secret."

Yugito blinked as, once again, she frantically re-evaluated everything she thought that she knew about her boss.

.

"Hello?" Yugito called out, feeling rather silly, but to her relief, a voice responded.

"Yugito-san! Where's B?"

"He's got a mission and I remembered you tended to show up at about this time." Yugito replied, sitting down on the bench and then helping Naruto to scramble up beside her. "Him and a team went out to stop a group of bandits from raiding several villages. He'll be a week or so."

"Oh." Naruto seemed slightly depressed at the news. "He said I was good enough to start learning the sword. Do you know it?"

"No, sorry." Yugito shrugged, then frowned slightly at the sight of B's storage-bench with its lid up. "I occasionally use a long kunai, but I prefer to get in closer in combat so I can use my speed and agility better."

Naruto was about to reply, then his stomach rumbled.

"I think someone's hungry." Yugito teased him as he blushed.

"Yeah, I could do with a Ramen about now."

"Sure." Yugito shrugged as Naruto wriggled off the bench and grabbed her hand. "So what…"

Yugito's question went unfinished as the world seemed to _blink_ around her, the bench she was sitting on vanishing. Her reflexes turned her fall into a roll and she found herself in a short side-alley she didn't recognize.

"Come on!" Naruto grabbed her hand and pulled her round into the building they had appeared beside. "Hey, Teuchi, how's my balance?"

"With that last bag of fruit, you've got twenty-five bowls stored up." the cook behind the counter laughed, then his eyes narrowed as he looked at Yugito.

"I'm not even sure what's going on." Yugito admitted as she sat down on the stool next to the one that Naruto had happily scrambled up on. "Where are we?"

"Ichiraku's!" Naruto declaimed. "The food of the Kamis! Two bowls of Pork Ramen please!"

"Two bowls coming up." The cook replied. "And for your guest?"

"One bowl is fine, thank you." Yugito said, still looking round in confusion, having flared and suppressed her chakra a couple of times in an attempt to break the _genjutsu_ she thought that she had been caught in.

"You know, you may be the first girl Naruto has brought here." The cook noted as he stirred the pot, then started slicing the vegetables that he flipped into the simmering noodles with the effortless ease of long practice. "Normally it's his _taijutsu_ sensei he brings here. Nice man, although he likes to rap. What do you teach?"

"The last lesson was tracking." Yugito said, feeling somewhat disconcerted as a youthful silver-haired shinobi wearing an angled Konoha _hitai-ate_ nonchalantly ambled in, his visible eye fixed on the book in his hand.

"One beef ramen, please, Teuchi." The shinobi said, his voice clear despite the mask covering his face from the bridge of his nose down.

"Ayame! Need a hand!" the now-identified cook called and a young female voice replied.

"Coming!"

"Naruto." The shinobi said in greeting as he glanced across.

"Kakashi." Naruto chirped and Yugito froze in horrified shock as she recognized the name. She was sat two stools away from _Sharingan Kakashi_! One of the most deadly shinobi known to exist! The son of Konoha's White Fang! A shinobi who was sat there reading…

"Is that _Icha Icha_?" She asked before she could stop herself and Kakashi nodded.

"It's Jiraiya-Sama's newest one. _Icha-Icha Traveller_."

"It's out?" Yugito gasped. "It's not due out in Kumo for another three months!"

Kakashi gave her an odd smile using his visible eye. "It only came out yesterday, there's a bookshop just round the corner with it in stock."

Yugito opened her mouth, then paused as a bowl slid in place in front of her, one filled with succulent, steaming Ramen.

"Itadakimasu!" Naruto chirped as he picked up the chopsticks.

.

" _Icha Icha Traveller_?" Darui asked curiously as Yugito jogged past him, her new prize held firmly in one hand. "I thought that wasn't out yet."

"It isn't." Yugito smirked.

"…what?"

Laughing, Yugito dashed through the doorway of her house, closing it after her, then she opened the book ready to start reading, only to pause as a sheet of paper drifted down. Carefully picking it up, she looked at the message written on it, growing more and more shocked as she read through it.

_Jonin Yugito Nii._

_Please hand this note to the Raikage._

_To the Yondaime Raikage._

_It has come to my attention that we both have a vested interest in the education  
_ _of Uzumaki Naruto, I as a potential successor and you as he will be a formidable  
_ _ally as he rises through the ranks of Konoha._

_As such, I wish to discuss, among other matters, a non-aggression pact between  
_ _our respective nations with the option of a full alliance in the future as well as the  
_ _progress of young Naruto._

_Please send your reply through Naruto via Yugito Nii._

_Awaiting your response,_

_Sarutobi Hiruzen  
_ _Sandaime Hokage._

_Konohagakure._

* * *

_._

**Bubbles**

Utakata looked in confusion at the package that the Postal Shinobi had given him.

Life as a Nukenin had not been anything like how Utakata had expected. He'd defected from the Kirigakure forces in protest against the increasing levels of violence and bloodthirstiness which the leaders were encouraging, but rather than be allowed to remain on the sidelines, the Kirigakure forces had continued to send Hunter-nin after him.

Under normal circumstances, receiving a package would have made him even more wary than he already was, but on the top of the package was a picture of a Kumo shinobi and and a young, blond boy wearing a t-shirt maked with the Konoha leaf who barely reached up to the swordsman's waist, both giving peace signs to the camera.

"Thank you." he said quietly and the Post-nin nodded, then sprinted off. Putting the package down, Utakata carefully used his pipe to encase the package in a bubble, then used a smaller bubble to dissolve the string that held it closed. A second bubble lifted the top off, to reveal a tri-blade kunai in a leather sheath.

"Hello, Mr Six!"

Utakata leaped away from the bombastic voice, spinning round to find himself facing the duo from the pictures even as he reflexively created a cloud of various-types of bubbles ready for combat.

"Oooh! Bubbles" The boy shouted eagerly and Utakata quickly replaced the explosive bubble the boy was trying to catch with one that was simply reinforced enough that it was difficult to pop. The boy leapt into the air, managing to catch it, then held it in one hand as he poked it with a finger, giggling as he did so.

"So, I'm Killer B, from Kumo high,  
"And that's Naruto, a strong lil' guy.  
"I hold the eight, he's got the nine,  
"And we're good friends, get on real fine.  
"But the other seven, we wish to meet  
"'Cause Peace is a thing we think is neat.  
"Word!"

Utakata stared at the odd man. "What?"

"We're Jinchuuriki." Naruto chirped as he trotted up and held out the bubble for Utakata to take. "So are you, right?"

"I… am." Utakata agreed. "I hold…"

"The Rokubi." B supplied. "I heard you'd left Kiri after they went all _grrr-rawr-blood_. Anyway… uh-oh."

A rustling sound made Utakata sigh. "The Hunter-nin, they've found me again."

"Mr Nine, your place?"

"Sure!" Naruto reached out to grab Utakata's kimono, then the world seemed to blink and Utakata looked round in shock.

"Gotcha, Mr Nine." B said and Utakata spun back to see B carefully lift Naruto up. "Two at once almost too much for you, huh. Okay, we'll work on helping you get bigger and stronger."

"…where are we?" Utakata asked and B tilted his head towards a nearby hut.

"We're on Mr Nine's private island. That's his house there, he likes to visit me and I'm helping him learn how to use chakra. He's the Jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi and is the son of the Yondaime Hokage, little tyke wants to become Hokage himself so he can protect everyone."

As he talked, B led the disconcerted Kiri shinobi into the hut.

"I'll put him to bed for a nap, then we can talk, yes?"

"'m not tired." Naruto complained, then he yawned.

"Jus a little nap, bro, then you can try swinging a sword again, 'kay?"

"'kay…"

.

"So… why?" Utakata asked once B had come down and poured water for both of them.

"Now _that's_ the question." B smirked, then he glanced up at the area where Naruto was asleep.

"Naruto, mainly. Little tyke popped up 'bout a year ago and shared some fruit with me. Asked me questions on how to be an awesome ninja, what being a Jinchuuriki is all about, that kind of stuff. It got me thinking and talking to Gyoki." B patted his chest to show what he was referring to. "Gyoki and the others, they can talk to each other as well as to their hosts. Your beast said you'd defected from Kiri in search of peace, so I talked it over with little bro and he… well, he's making friends in Konoha, has a flat there of his own, now, but he doesn't like to leave this place alone for too long. His dad built it, you know."

Utakata looked round with renewed appreciation.

"The Yondaime built this?"

"Yep, it was his holiday home for him and his wife, the Habanero. Uzumaki Kushina."

"…wow."

B nodded and took another sip. "Anyway, Over the last few months, we brought over panes of glass and stuff, built another hut so I could stay over, or lil' Yugito could… she quite likes him. Finds him interesting."

"…Yugito?"

"Miss Two."

Utakata shook his head in shocked disbelief. "The Nibi? How many of us is he trying to collect?"

B sighed. "He'd like to meet all of us, but… the Sanbi says there's something wrong with his host. Some sort of control he can't break."

Utakata inhaled sharply. "The Mizukage's being controlled?"

"That's what Gyoku tells me." B confirmed. "You should ask your own beast."

"I… I'll try." Utakata managed.

"As for the others, I've sent a message to the host of the Ichibi, but the Ichibi itself? Gyoku says that he's gone crazy with pain. I'd say his seal needs fixing. I've got feelers out for the host of the Yonbi, he's currently in the wilds according to his beast and the host of the Gobi is in tune enough that we've talked. I've sent him a tag so we can meet. The host of the Nanabi is another matter. Turns out that the Nanabi is held by Takigakure."

"What?" Utakata jolted in shock. "How did such a tiny Village get a Biju?"

"Not a clue." B shrugged. "According to the Nanabi, they ain't mistreating her, but they ain't helping her either. Not sure how to get a tag to her."

"…so what do you want from me?" Utakata finally asked.

"Sooner or later, the Mizukage is going down and when that happens, the replacement will probably want to meet you. Until then, you should stay safe and this island will help you do so. Naruto's in and out daily, so if you want to go anywhere, he can drop you off at the nearest tag he has access to. I have one under one of the benches outside my house.

"Till then, offer him training. Maybe with reading and calligraphy?"

"I'm quite good with those." Utakata gave a faint smile. "I do not know if I can teach him anything to do with violence… but reading, writing and so on? _that_ I can do."

"Kid's got a _lot_ of energy." B warned him. "He can almost keep up with _me_."

* * *

.

**Words**

Utakata shook his head and reached across. "No, Naruto, you move it like _this_ , then like _this_. As for this one, you do it like _so_. You see? _That's_ how you write your name."

Naruto looked down at the two lines of symbols, the one he'd done and the one that Utakata had done, then he picked up his pen and started writing them out again.

"You see the difference?" Utakata asked as Naruto finished writing the kanji symbols. "Uzumaki Naruto. The Maelstrom of the Whirlpool. A good name to describe you."

Naruto grinned up at his teacher, then turned his attention back to getting the lines of the kanji in _just_ the right position.

Utakata noted the slight twitches which Naruto wasn't aware he was making and hid a sigh. Due in no small part to his chakra levels, Naruto would need to engage in more physical exercise _very_ soon.

At least he was getting more practice in controlling his bubbles at a distance as Naruto chased them. And the time he had made a bubble ring for Naruto to jump through had been fun, even if he did have to teach the young boy how to fall without hurting himself.

Naruto put the pen down and Utakata nodded in satisfaction at how neat the third iteration of Naruto's name was.

"Very good, Naruto-kun." He said, picking up his pipe. "Now, let us see how good you have got with catching things."

Naruto scrambled to his feet as the bubbles issued forth and leapt after one that danced temptingly just out of his reach. As he bounced around the clearing, laughing and grabbing for the bubbles, Utakata leaned back and watched him with a wistful smile.

.

Hiruzen carefully unfolded the letter that a Post-nin had delivered to him, noting in passing the sigil on it that showed that it was from the office of the Raikage.

As with all letters from his counterpart from Kumo, it was short and to the point, something which Hiruzen knew was a sign of respect since the longer and more flowery a message from Kumo was, the more contempt they held you in.

_Hiruzen._

_Your final offer is acceptable. I will sign.  
_ _Kumo will abide by the agreement._

_A._

A knock on the door caught his attention and he looked up to see his favorite Uchiha in the doorway.

"Ah, Itachi, come in."

The young Jonin stepped into the office and bowed. "You summoned me, Hokage. I came."

Hiruzen waited until Itachi straightened up, the motioned for him to be seated. Once the young man was settled, he passed the note over.

"Your thoughts?"

"Aside a growing curiosity as to why you have been seeking my council when my father is far more experienced?" Itachi asked as he read the note. "The Land of Lightning does not share a direct border with us, so under normal conditions, a full alliance would be… unnecessary. If you add the incident with their ambassador and the Hyuuga clan, some would claim that at most, a non-aggression pact would be pushing it."

"There was far more to that incident than most know." Hiruzen sighed. "Shimura Danzo encouraged it to happen in the hope of setting up a situation where Konoha would be obligated to attack Kumo."

Itachi nodded slowly as he re-folded the note and handed it back to the Hokage.

"From what you have told me, I would tentatively agree to this, but there is more to this that I am aware of. Is there anything that I am cleared to know which will aid in my understanding?"

Hiruzen pushed a file across the desk and Itachi looked at the name on it curiously before opening it and perusing the contents. Hiruzen managed not to chuckle as Itachi suddenly stiffened in shock.

"The Hachibi _and_ the Nibi?"

"We have some indications that the Rokubi may have joined as well." Hiruzen noted, causing Itachi to stare at him in near-shock.

"But… _why_?" The younger shinobi finally managed.

"Many see Jinchuuriki as weapons." Hiruzen said as he rose from his chair and moved to the window to look over the Village that he commanded. "To a degree, that is true. Only another Jinchuuriki or an S-class Shinobi can stop one and while we have a great many A and B-class shinobi, the number of S-class shinobi we still have in our ranks is… limited.  
"However, what Naruto is doing is countering the other Jinchuuriki in a way that no-one, not even myself, considered. He's _befriending_ them, making them more inclined towards helping us rather than fighting us. Should he manage to befriend all of the other eight, one source of tension between the nations will be defused in a way that ony those with the wit to see it will be aware of it and the chance of the next Great Shinobi War breaking out will be greatly reduced."

"I… think I see." Itachi mused, still reading the file. "But… how?"

"That, I do not know." Hiruzen admitted. "He seems to use the _Hiraishin_ , but he has not had the training or education required to perform it. In fact, it was only a while ago that he unlocked his chakra properly. Somehow, he knows the _Hiraishin_ in the same way that you or I know the _Kawarimi_. Seal-less and reflexive, but as he has not gone through the stages of learning, I doubt very much that he will be able to teach another. Not for several decades, at least."

Itachi closed the file and returned it to the desk, then rose and moved to stand near Hiruzen.

"Sir, I must ask, why tell _me_ this?"

"You haven't figured it out, yet?" Hiruzen chuckled. "No, I don't suppose it would occur to you. After all, you are one of the most loyal shinobi in my forces. Itachi, the reason I have pulled you out of the ANBU and assigned you to this office is simple. I am old, Itachi. Old and tired. While I have the experience to serve Konoha as I do, I no longer have the energy to do the job as well as it needs doing."

Itachi froze and Hiruzen chuckled again. "Ah, I see that you have deduced my reason."

"You… you want _me_ to…"

"Once you are fully trained, Itachi, I will step down and _you_ will take the Hat. While it will take another couple of years before you are prepared, I think that now you see my plans, you will apply yourself to helping an old man's dream come true… _Godaime Hokage Koho_."

Itachi froze as Hiruzen finally confirmed that he was indeed considered a viable candidate to become the Fifth Hokage.

"…sir, does my father know?"

"He probably suspects." Hiruzen shrugged. "But now that I have finally said it, feel free to tell him, although stress that this is a test of how well _he_ can keep it quiet too."

"… _hai_ , Hokage-Dono."

.

Utakata stood in the gathering dusk, enjoying the peaceful tranquility of the island. In the hut behind him, Naruto was fast asleep, having managed to eat no less than _four_ bowls of Ramen at Ichiraku's, something that astonished Utakata given how small Naruto was. He had spotted Teuchi putting some sort of powder in Naruto's dish, but the silver-haired shinobi who had been in the booth with them had quietly explained that the powder was nothing more than vitamin supplements to help Naruto stay healthy. Utakata had filched a noodle while Naruto was distracted and checked for himself.

A loud noise caught his attention and he turned to see a large figure stumbling out of the surrounding trees, grumbling to itself.

"…damn the old monkey for sending me here. Could have just had me look at things while the brat was in Konoha, but noooooooo, had to send me all the way to… oh. Hello."

Utakata stared at the new arrival, noting the long white hair and the red lines that went down from his eyes, lines that looked very familiar…

"I recognize you! You're on one of the pictures in the hut! You're Naruto's father's Sensei!"

"That's me!" The man grinned, striking a series of poses. "I am the wonderful writer of Icha Icha, the man who all men wish to be and all women wish to be with! I am the amazing Toad Sage! I am… the gallant Jiraiya!"

"How did you get here?" Utakata asked curiously.

"Used a boat." Jiraiya shrugged as he seated himself on a fallen log. "I'm one of the few who know where this island is and that it's privately owned. I assume Naruto brought you here?"

"I needed a place to rest." Utakata confirmed slowly. "I am…"

"Utakata, the Jinchuuriki of the Rokubi." Jiraiya finished, earning a long, shocked stare. "Kid, I'm a shinobi. An _old_ shinobi. To become an old shinobi, you must know as much as possible and I made it one of my duties to know who and where the Jinchuuriki are. When you vanished, it threw me for a loop until Sensei sent me a message telling me where you were and to come say hello."

"How is Kiri doing without me there?" Utakata asked as he sat down as well.

"Yagura's going _nuts_ trying to find you." Jiraiya chuckled. "The rebellion's making huge gains because all of his best followers are scouring the elemental nations for you and thus are not there to fight for him, making him rely on his second-raters. They know you're not in the Land of Water, but that's _all_ they know at this point. I heard that they think you used a bubble clone to throw them off your trail."

"I never considered doing that." Utakata admitted.

"Probably wouldn't have worked… not for long, at least." Jiraiya shrugged. "Not that it matters. This island is far enough away from the mainland that it can't be seen and even your chakra signature can't be detected from the closest shore. You got a good place to lie low until things settle down."

"It is peaceful." Utakata agreed. "However, I think I'm starting to get rusty."

"I'll be happy to spar with you tomorrow if you want." Jiraiya shrugged, then he grinned. "Assuming you don't have anything planned with Killer B or Yugito Nii."

Utakata froze. "How…?"

"Old shinobi, kid." Jiraiya yawned. "I must admit, I'm mainly here because apparently the holder of the Ichibi has a crappy seal and it needs fixing. As Konoha's premiere _fuuinjutsu_ expert, I'm the best one to do it, so I'll be going with him."

"I also intend to go with him." Utakata stated firmly. "I have been working on ways to protect people with my bubbles and he is not yet old enough to defend himself."

"A Sage and a Jinchuuriki as his bodyguards?" Jiraiya chuckled. "Let's hope the Daimyos never find out or they'll be insanely envious."

.

The smell of cooking drifted up and gently pulled Naruto out of his happy dreams of wearing the Hokage Hat as the entire village and his new friends cheered for him. Pulling himself up into a sitting position, he yawned and stretched like Yugito had taught him, twisting slightly to check that every joint was ready for use.

Rubbing at his eyes, he rolled off his futon and, grabbing the low railing so that he wouldn't fall, stuck his head over the edge to look down at the kitchen where Utakata and an oddly-familiar man he had never met before were dishing out.

"Naruto, breakfast." Utakata stated without bothering to look up and Naruto rolled away from the edge of the sleeping area. Quickly switching his nightshirt for shorts and T-shirt, he scampered down the stairs, then paused as he saw the face of the new arrival.

"You're him!" He yelped, pointing at one of the pictures on the wall and the man smiled.

"I am indeed. My name is Jiraiya of the Sannin and I am happy to meet you at last, Uzumaki Naruto."

* * *

.

**Sand**

The Kazekage frowned as he took the package that had been sent to his son and intercepted by his agents. Carefully unwrapping it, his frown grew deeper as he saw what was inside, a tri-pronged kunai with a familiar-looking handle.

"What?" He muttered as he picked it up and examined it carefully, then he lowered it to his desk and started rummaging through the wrapping paper to see if there was a not to explain why one of the Yondaime Hokage's kunai had been sent to the weapon of Sunagakure.

"Hey!" A young voice pouted. "You're not the Ichibi holder!"

Rasa's reactions took over and he leapt away from the unexpected voice, golden dust erupting from his sleeves as he prepared for combat.

"Oooh! Sparkly!" The same young voice cheered and Rasa blinked as he looked at the unexpected intruders.

The youngest reminded him of the Yondaime Hokage, the main differences being that he had three lines on each cheek and was about the same age as his weapon. The second was a shinobi he didn't recognise, but who was holding an unlit pipe in his hands while the third was…

"Jiraiya." Rasa relaxed, but kept his golden dust out just in case. "I did not expect to see you today. I received no note that you were coming."

"I was hoping to see your youngest… Gaara, isn't it? I've heard bad things about his seal."

"You dare question Lady Chiyo's work?" Rasa growled and Jiraiya paled.

"You let _her_ do the Seal? Dammit, Rasa, she's only a level-four _fuuinjutsu_ user! You need to be at least a level _six_ before you can even think about sealing a Biju, even the Ichibi!"

Rasa blinked. "She's the best we've got."

Jiraiya waved off the protest. "If _she_ did it, she probably brute-forced it. Only the Kamis know how she botched it, but at the very least, I'd say that your son has no mental protection at all given what I know of her sealing styles. Unless you _want_ a berserk Jinchuuriki attacking everyone in an attempt to stop the pain, **let me fix it!** "

Rasa flinched backwards as for a moment, Jiraiya stopped being the wandering perverted hermit that everyone assumed that he was and instead became Jiraiya of the Sannin, trained by the God of Shinobi and one of the few true Sages alive.

"I… I… I…"

"I see him." The unknown shinobi said, looking into a bubble that Rasa hadn't noticed him forming. "He is on the other side of the village, watching some children play. The sand around him is shifting."

"Take us." Jiraiya ordered and the unknown shinobi scooped up the young boy and leapt out of the window, a bubble forming around him as soon as he cleared the tower. Jiraiya followed, a second bubble forming around him and the three shinobi flew off as Rasa stared in shock.

"…what just happened?" He asked himself, then his eyes fell on the desk. "Where's the kunai? Shit! Someone get me Yashamaru! Tell him to report here NOW! NOW! NOW!"

.

Gaara watched as the children threw a ball randomly to each other. Part of him wanted to go and play, but another part of him was scared that his sand would see it as an attck on him and hurt them, driving them away and leaving him even more lonely than he already was.

Taking a deep breath and remembering what his uncle had said, Gaara stepped forwards, then paused as a bubble appeared in front of him. Reaching out, he gently caught the floating bubble and looked at it curiously, then he looked up as the courtyard went quiet and his eyes widened.

"Hiya!" The boy his age waved from the adult shinobi's arms while in a second bubble following just behind was perhaps the largest man that Gaara had ever seen, a man with a huge scroll on his back.

Gaara eyed the scroll, seeing how the man carried it and wondered if he could do something similar with his sand.

"Gaara of the desert?" The large man asked as soon as he had touched down and the bubble had vanished. "My name's Jiraiya and I've come to help you."

Gaara blinked. "You have?"

"I have." Jiraiya confirmed, then he made a sequence of hand-seals, causing stone walls to rise up around them. "I need to see your seal."

"It's okay." The blond smiled. "I'm like you. I hold the Kyuubi."

"Rokubi." The Kinomo-wearer said quietly.

"Now, let's see… aha! The seal is on your back." Jiraiya said and Gaara looked at him quizzically. "And… wow! Chiyo _really_ screwed up! How are you even sane? Okay, I can fix this and once it's fixed, the sand won't attack anyone _unless_ you want it to."

"It won't?" Gaara gasped and Jiraiya smiled as he pulled out a scroll.

"You have my word."

.

The stone walls retracted and Rasa stared at the sight before him. Both adult shinobi were cradling sleepy children, the unknown shinobi holding the blond boy while Jiraiya held Gaara. Seeing him, Jiraiya walked over and as Rasa reached out to reclaim his son, headbutted him, sending him to the ground with a broken nose.

"You complete and utter _moron_!" Jiraiya growled, ignoring the various kunai and swords pressed against him. "That seal you had Chiyo put on him, I could have _crapped_ a better seal than that!"

In Jiraiya's arms, Gaara giggled.

"Fortunately for the continued existence of Suna, I've fixed it. Gaara can now sleep without the Ichibi taking over, his sand will only attack when _he_ wants it to, although the automatic defense is still in place and he won't have the Ichibi screaming into his mind constantly. That was just twenty minutes of work! How long did that old bitch take to do her monstrosity?"

Rasa pulled himself to his feet, then allowed a Med-nin to reset and heal his nose before answering.

"That is no concern of…"

"Two hours!" Chiyo snapped as she stormed up, followed by ten of her puppets, causing those threatening Jiraiya to retreat. "It was a masterpiece!"

Jiraiya handed Gaara to Rasa, then pulled two scrolls from his belt, unrolling them so that Chiyo could see what was written on them.

" _This_ one is yours before I got here, _this_ one is how it should have been at the very least! See the difference?"

Chiyo paled as her eyes darted between the two scrolls, then Jiraiya threw them both at her.

"You need to study more. Your skills are good for puppets, but for living beings? Hah!"

Without giving her a chance to respond, Jiraiya stomped over to Rasa.

"Give him proper training and he'll become the greatest shinobi that Suna has ever produced. I'll be keeping an eye on you, so don't do anything stupid like try to turn him into an unthinking weapon. You wouldn't like what happens if you do."

"I… understand." Rasa managed, not allowing himself to look at Yashamaru who was nearby in his masked uniform.

"Good." Jiraiya snapped, then he turned to his companions. "Hey, 'ruto, able to take us back? I think Gaara needs his sleep."

As Rasa watched in disbelief, the trio vanished without trace.

"What do we do now?" One of the shinobi asked and Rasa shook his head, then looked at where Chiyo was frantically perusing the second scroll which was being held for her by two of her puppets.

"Stand down." He finally ordered. "Stand down. I need to put the... _my son_ to bed."

.

Gaara slowly rose through the comforting darkness, awareness of his body slowly returning with a kind of languid peace that he could never hope to describe or even fully remember afterwards. Opening his eyes, Gaara looked round in confusion. He'd been outside, there had been some new people, talk about his seal (whatever that was) and now…

Gaara paused and his attention turned inwards to where a kind of mental sound echoed.

Snoring?

"Gaara?"

Gaara returned his attention to the world around him and turned his head to look at the door where his sister was staring at him.

"Temari? I… I was asleep?"

"You were." Temari confirmed, still staring at him.

"Oh." Gaara stared at the ceiling for a moment. "So that's what sleeping feels like. It's… nice."

An instant later, Gaara found himself being hugged, another new sensation.

"…Temari?"

"Hey, little bro, welcome back." Kankuro said from the doorway. "You've been out for almost two days."

"I feel… thirsty." Gaara realized and Temari slowly released him from the hug.

"Stay here, I'll get you some water." She mumbled, her face red, then she dashed out of the room, almost knocking Kankuro over.

"Temari!" The Puppeteer-in-training protested. "Huh. Girls. So, little bro, feel any different? Lady Chiyo says you won't have to worry about accidentally attacking people any more."

Gaara thought back to the hug he had received.

If what he had gone through during the fixing of the seal meant he got more hugs, he was happy with it.

.

"Gaara's waking up." Naruto announced, looking up from the bowl of steamed vegetables and meat that Utakata insisted he ate. "I'm going to…"

"Finish your dinner first." Utakata stated, giving Naruto a firm glare. "Then finish your lessons. Gaara will have things to do first, you can visit him and tell him about how he can use his new necklace to call you later."

Naruto gave a long, put-upon sigh, then re-applied himself to his meal.

.

"So, the Ichibi has been sealed properly?" Hiruzen asked as he looked out of the window of his office.

"That's right." Jiraiya replied from behind him. "Had he stayed like that for much longer, he would have been driven insane. Chiyo _thought_ that she knew what she was doing, but… it would have been nasty. Seriously, if the kid hadn't been helped, chances were that he would have been a total psychopath by the time he became a genin."

"And Suna now knows that we know who their Jinchuuriki is and have access to more than one of our own." Hiruzen mused. "I see no reason to disabuse them of the notion that Utakata is a _konoha_ Jinchuuriki… we'll simply _not_ deny it."

"My organisation's tracked down the others, too." Jiraiya added. "We're liaising with Killer B to get tags and messages to them, most of them seem surprisingly sane given how they generally get treated."

Hiruzen turned to fix his pupil with a quizzical stare. "And you find this amusing… because?"

"B doesn't know that the Raikage knows what he's up to and approves." Jiraiya chuckled. "Turns out some of my agents know some of the Raikage's, they've started swapping info to help keep things calm and peaceful."

"In the long term, peace _is_ far more profitable than war." Hiruzen noted as he turned back to look out over his Village. "Good work."

"Thank you, Sensei."

.

Gaara stared at the bubble floating above his head, then he smiled, turning away from the desert to greet two of his first true friends.

"Utakata-san. Naruto-kun."

"Hey, Gaara!" Naruto glomped Gaara as Utakata simply smirked at the resulting pile of limbs. "Feeling better?"

"Slightly squashed." Gaara grunted, then he used his sand to extract himself from Naruto's grip and set them both back up on their feet.

"Wow, that was _cool_!" Naruto bounced up and down in excitement. "Ooh, can you make a platform that _zooms_ across the sand? that would be awesome!"

"I… don't see why not." Gaara finally admitted.

"Make it like a sledge so that you can sit on it." Utakata suggested. "You know, like a rounded bench with runners going from one end to the other."

Gaara concentrated and a lump of sand rose up, then compacted almost like stone.

"Curve the front up a bit and put handles to hold on to and it'll be just right."

The sledge reshaped slightly, then Gaara carefully climbed on it, Naruto scrambling on behind him.

"All right." Gaara found himself smiling. "Let's see if I can do this."

For a long moment, nothing happened, then the sledge started to slide forwards, slowly at first but increasing rapidly until it zoomed off parallel to Suna's wall, Naruto yell of joy lingering behind.

"Was that… Gaara?" Temari asked as she peered out of the main entrance to Suna. "Oh, hi, Utakata-san."

"Temari-chan." Utakata smiled, then his hand dipped into the satchel he was wearing, re-emerging with a peach. "I come bearing fruit."

Temari's eyes widened as she stared at the pink fruit. "…yay!"

.

"This is AWESOME!" Naruto yelled as the sledge launched itself off a dune, arcing through the air before the sand beneath rose to ensure a soft landing with no loss of speed. Gaara didn't answer, partly because he was concentrating on moving the sand in the right way to steer without spilling them off but mainly because he was enjoying himself more than he could remember enjoying himself before.

His friend was right.

It _was_ awesome.

"Wahooooooooo!"

* * *

_._

**Two**

"It's been a while." The man sat by the edge of the cliff said, not even bothering to look behind him. "When was the last time we were in the same place? The Final Line?"

"Just before Namikaze took out the counterstrike force, yes." The giant of a man rumbled, moving closer, but stopping several paces away from the cliff edge. "I assume that you got that odd note too, Roshi?"

"Along with one of the Kunai that Namikaze used, yes." The shorter man said, turning his head to look up at his tall companion, the small gold ring set into one side of his helmet chiming with the move. "Did you get the same?"

The tall man didn't answer verbally, but he slid his hand under the breastplate of his red armor, pulling out a tri-blade Kunai.

"Hmph. Well, while we're waiting, why not sit down, Han?"

"Prefer to stand." Han rumbled, lifting his hat slightly so that he could take in the scenery. "The view's better from up here."

"And the air's so thin, I'm amazed you're still breathing." Roshi instantly shot back. For a moment, both men remained silent, then they started chuckling.

"And we used to wonder why the Tsuchikage kept us in different areas whenever possible." Roshi shook his head. "He never understood, did he."

"He saw us as weapons." Han shrugged, then he frowned. "I think that was how he saw _all_ the shinobi under his command. As weapons who should just do what they were told."

"Makes sense." Roshi agreed sourly. "So, when do you think whoever it is who wants to meet us will show up?"

"About the time that Han did."

"Ah." Roshi nodded at the new voice's comment, then he stiffened as realization dawned. "Han…?"

"Two of them." Han rumbled."A teenager I've never seen before and a young kid. Very young, about four."

"I'm almost six!" A young voice protested and Roshi pushed himself away from the cliff before rising to his feet in a move that let him turn to face the new arrivals.

"Good morning." The taller one said with a slight bow. "My name is Utakata, currently on leave from Kirigakure. I am the holder of the six-tails. This is Uzumaki Naruto, holder of the nine-tails."

"Uzumaki?" Han asked, kneeling down for a better look at the boy who returned his gaze fearlessly. "Surely you mean _Namikaze_?"

"He was named after his mother to protect him from those who would hate him for whom his father was." Utakata replied calmly, although Han noted that at no point did he let go of Naruto's hand.

"Makes sense." Roshi nodded as he strolled closer, coming to a stop by his colleague. "So, why did you ask to meet us?"

"I'm a Jinchuuriki like you and I wanted to say hello." Naruto replied and Han bust out laughing.

"You just wanted to say hello, huh? Okay, I'm impressed, but getting the message to us, that must have taken a _lot_ of effort."

"Killer B-san took care of that for Naruto-kun." Utakata supplied and Roshi whistled.

"Whoah! The Raikage's brother? The holder of the Eight-tails? Now this is a story that I've _got_ to hear."

"I'll get the picnic basket!" Naruto chirped and as Utakata released his hand, Naruto vanished, startling the two older men.

"How did he…?" Roshi began, then he shook his head. "Ah, hell. I thought that Namikaze used some sort of Jutsu, but it was a Kekkei Genkai, wasn't it? Damn, that's one hell of a game-breaking bloodlimit. Kid's going to have wall-to-wall assassins after him when that gets out."

"It's _not_ a bloodlimit." Utakata countered. "It's an aftereffect of _fuuinjutsu_. Jiraiya says he thinks he knows how it happened and it's something that could only happen to a Jinchuuriki."

"Indeed." A new voice said and Gaara stepped out from behind Utakata, who stared at him in shock. "What?"

"…how?" Utakata asked and Gaara looked up at him in confusion.

"Naruto-niisan helped me. We used special ink to copy the seal onto my chest, then I pushed some of the Ichibi's power into it and I got the same skill he has. Now I can buy Ramen whenever I want! I'm not strong enough to carry people with me yet, though…"

"Hi, Gaara!" Naruto caught the surprised boy in a hug. "I saw you arrive, so I grabbed more food. Let's eat!"

"Wait." Han said slowly. "You mean that this thing is something that Roshi and I can learn as well?"

"Sure." Naruto shrugged as he and Gaara started to unpack the basket.

"Of course, before then, you must promise not to tell anyone who is _not_ one of us about how you can do it." Utakata interjected. "As B-san said, we are all siblings-in-burden and are more than just weapons."

"That's… something." Roshi lowered himself to the ground and tucked his feet in. "So, we keep quiet about it… anything else?"

"I have yet to gain the skill." Utakata gave Naruto a long look. "Does B or Yugito have it?"

"Naa, Gaara's the first." Naruto shrugged. "Jiraiya helped, said he wanted to see if it worked and now Gaara can visit whenever he wants!"

"I think that we should agree that if we get this… ability, we never use it against each other." Han stated. "Being a Jinchuuriki is bad enough, but add this ability too? We'd make the Yondaime look like a _genin_ if we had to fight."

"Agreed." Utakata nodded as he accepted a beaker of juice. "I think that a condition of receiving this skill is that we do not engage in hostile military actions between our countries."

"So, we counter each other by simply not going up against whoever, thus taking us out of the military equation, at least for the Great Five, but a Jinchuuriki who hasn't agreed to this isn't covered." Roshi summed up.

"And we can call for help if that happens." Utakata added with a faint smile. "Unless they are totally insane, no Jinchuuriki would enjoy facing five or six others at once. I think at that point, they would be willing to abandon their plans of conquest."

"Bringing peace to the world." Han agreed as he lowered the rice ball he had been munching on. "You have my vote."

"So, when do _we_ get this ability to go anywhere?" Roshi asked curiously.

"B and Yugito are next." Naruto offered diffidently. "Big brother B's helping me learn how to use a sword, but he's not teaching me how he does it. He uses _six_ swords at once! It's _really_ cool!"

Gaara blinked, obviously failing to work out how six swords in two hands could work.

"He doesn't even use his hands most of the time!" Naruto added.

 _Everyone_ stared at Naruto in confused disbelief.

"…what?"

.

"So." Roshi said as he watched the sunset. "You in?"

"Almost certainly." Han rumbled from where he was seated, feet dangling over the edge of the cliff. "You remember when we went up against Blue B? The amount of damage we caused?"

"They abandoned that city." Roshi reminisced. "We managed to drive the Hachibi off, but he managed to complete his main mission. Heck, he _used_ our attacks to help him destroy Mirror Lake City."

"When Jinchuuriki fight, the landscape and the lives of all around are destroyed." Han sighed. "I helped to bury the dead, Roshi. I still remember the eyes of the civilians who had trusted us to protect them."

Roshi lowered his head. "I remember the destruction only too well, Han. It's why I applied for this training trip. I needed to learn how to increase my control in order to decrease the collateral damage. I'm making _some_ progress…"

"Maybe B could give you some hints." Han mused. "After all, I hear that he and his Biju work together flawlessly."

"Can't hurt." Roshi admitted. "Can't hurt."

.

"Another bowl!"

"Same again, please."

Teuchi chuckled as his knife flickered through the vegetables, the two young boys sat on the other side of the counter watching him eagerly. A few moments later, he was dishing out the food and sliding the bowls in front of the duo.

"There you go."

"Thanks! Yay, more Ramen!"

"Thank you, Teuchi-san."

Teuchi chuckled as he watched the duo dig in, Gaara eating slower than Naruto as he took the time to savor the flavor.

"You'll soon be old enough to join the Academy." he noted and Naruto paused to answer.

"Yep, I'll study and study and prove that I'm awesome enough to be the Hokage and protect everyone!"

"I also will be attending the Academy back home." Gaara noted. "Alhough I will probably end up on a team with my siblings, my sand-sledge technique has gained a large measure of popularity for me."

"Yeah, it's awesome, zooming across the sand like that!" Naruto agreed as he lowered his bowl. "I wish I could do that, then we could race!"

"I am certain we will find many things to compete over, brother." Gaara replied even as a tendril of sand extended from the gourd-like mass strapped to his back and swatted Naruto's hand as the blond tried to sneakily steal some of his Ramen. Naruto pouted, then grinned as Teuchi switched out his empty bowl for a full one.

"Thank you!"

Gaara rolled his eyes, but otherwise ignored his fellow-Jinchuuriki's exuberant actions.

.

The masked man who went by the name of Uchiha Madara was confused.

While ensuring that his puppet did as it was bid (which was very difficult, given that he was a Jinchuuriki and thus resistant to mind-control techniques) took up the majority of his time these days, his unique way of transporting himself wherever he wished meant that he could generally keep track of everything that he needed to.

For the past few years, though, the other Jinchuuriki had started to escape his surveillance. Not for long in most cases (although he was having a hard time tracking down the location where Konoha had stashed the brat holding the Kyuubi), but they tended to vanish without trace, only to reappear a couple of hours later as if they'd never been missing in the first place.

It was quite aggravating.

As if that wasn't enough, he was now getting reports of rumors that Konoha and Kumo had signed a non-aggression treaty with the specific provisio that their Jinchuuriki would only be deployed in the event that either were attacked by one _not_ part of the treaty.

A similar rumor was reported in Sunagakure, but since their Jinchuuriki was not even a trainee yet, it was probably unimportant.

The real issue was that Iwagakure, which he had been counting on to act as a counter to Konoha, was apparently in negotiations for a similar treaty. With four of the Great Five so aligned, it was quite possible that the civil war that he had been directing would be forced to an end if simply because if it didn't, the other four would decide to put an end to it themselves, turning the Great Five into the Great Four. While he had planned to instigate the Fourth Great Shinobi War at some point, he wanted it on his terms and no-one elses.

And he _still_ hadn't found out where that damned six-tails had vanished. Even the Zetsus had failed to detect more than a few flickers that at least told them that he was still alive.

It was time to pay a visit.

Perhaps the deployment of a certain fact would prove productive.

Productive for him, that was, not those who opposed him.

With a smirk concealed by his one-eyed mask, the shinobi vanished in a swirl of space-time.

.

In a small cave that had been equipped with just enough amenities to make it (barely) deserving of the term _home_ , a girl with pale green hair opened a package and held up the contents quizzically.

"Why would someone send Fu a new knife?"

"Well, miss seven, that blade has power,  
"Lets people cross the nations in under an hour,  
"But there are only nine who the power can command  
"Nine who are the guardians of their native land.  
"You hold a beast inside you, well I hold one as well,  
"And those who hate and fear us try to cause us hell.  
"But now in your hand, freedom's yours to claim,  
"To join the holders of the beasts and true peace is our aim!  
"Word!"

"…Fu thinks she needs to check what she has been drinking…"

* * *

.

**Academy**

Naruto almost bounced through the gates of the Academy, his weighted _bokken_ in an orange-strapped sheath diagonally across his back, a sheath designed to let him unsheathe it and deliver a downwards strike in one well-practiced move that B had drilled into him. A trio of pouches held his supplies (Roshi had insisted he carry them even, or _especially_ , in training) including Kunai and Shuriken which Yugito had taught both him and Gaara how to throw.

The item that he was most proud of, however, was the metal disc he wore on his shoulder, just above his clan icon. The disc was comprised of eight metal segments arranged around a central one with the numbers 1 to 8 around the edge (except for number 3 which had been left blank to indicate that the Mizukage was _not_ considered part of the Biju Brethren, as they called themselves… well, as he and Gaara called them… well, mainly him, but it was _catchy_ darn it!) and the number 9 was engraved on the middle section. The other Jinchuuriki had their own discs, Gaara's had the 1 in the middle and the other numbers around the outside whereas B had 8 in the middle, and between the central disc and the backing metal was the jutsu formula for the Hiraishin, allowing each of them to know where the others were constantly and, should they pulse chakra through the disc, alert the others that they needed help.

B was working on a way to allow them to alert a specific person, but apparently the Hiraishin formulae was incredibly complex once you got past the first level (whatever that meant) and B was having issues solving the problem. Nevertheless, Naruto was sure he could do it because Killer B was awesomeness personified.

Reaching the classroom he had been assigned to (and why Jiji had looked so relieved when Naruto had asked if he was still allowed to join the Academy despite often popping off to see his friends, he still had no clue. It must have been one of those old-guy things…), Naruto slid quietly into the classroom, trying to avoid getting attention, something that Utakata had taught him.

" _A true shinobi is one who is not noticed unless he wishes to be. The best can talk to someone and five seconds later, the person does not remember them. An experienced shinobi only acts when he knows what needs doing. Observe, think, and only_ then _act, young Naruto. And make sure people have no reason to observe you."_

It had been hard for Naruto to learn to control himself enough to be stealthy, but the hide-and-seek games with Gaara and Yugito (aka tracking practice) had helped him considerably. As such, he managed to slide into his seat without a single one of the other students sparing him more than a quick glance, if that.

Hiding a smile, Naruto glanced round, then he leaned back in his chair, shifting slightly to settle his bokken into a more comfortable position.

His first day as a Shinobi-in-training was about to begin!

This was going to be totally awesome!

And afterwards, he would meet Gaara at Ichiraku's and boast about how awesome it had been!

.

Naruto trudged into Ichiraku's and pulled himself up onto his regular stool before glancing at the trio who were looking at him in concern.

"Hi, Gaara. Temari, Kankuro."

"Naruto… what happened?" Gaara asked worriedly. "You seem… depressed."

Naruto shook his head before letting out a sound midway between a sigh and a groan. "It's just… It was my first day at the Academy today."

"Suna's Academy starts next week." Temari noted.

"Yeah, well, I thought it would be… would be… Argh! It was _boring_! Even the ranking spars were boring!"

"We have been receiving training from _six_ other Jinchuuriki, brother." Gaara pointed out.

"Yeah, but… I hoped that I'd have a spar that lasted more than _five seconds_! You know? I want some competition, darn it! I want a rival, someone to compete _against_!"

"Would a spar after Ramen help you relax?" Gaara prodded and Naruto sighed.

"Sorry. It's just so… urgh."

"I admit that I am now rather concerned about my own learning experience."

.

Hiruzen stared at the Headmaster and first-year teacher who were standing in front of him.

"…what?"

"Sir, _why_ has a full _genin_ enrolled into the Academy?" The Headmaster repeated.

"He _flattened_ all the other students." The teacher added. "Almost half of them have quit already!"

"Then they were obviously unsuited to becoming Shinobi." Hiruzen countered. "So, who is this one that you believe is already a genin?"

"Uzumaki Naruto." The Headmaster stated and Hiruzen fought the urge to face-palm.

"He is not a genin." Hiruzen finally replied. "Although, like many of the clan-children, he has received training elsewhere."

"Training?!" The teacher yelped. "Dammit, sir, _who's_ been training him? Itachi?"

From his desk to one side, Itachi (who in order to denote his imminent ascension to the position of Hokage was clad in the same style of robes as Hiruzen, albeit without the hat,) raised an eyebrow.

"Although I have met young Uzumaki several times, I can assure you that I have not been training him." Itachi stated. "While I have been training my younger brother somewhat, that is all I can claim at this point. Out of interest, how did Sasuke do?"

The teacher shrugged. "I don't know, he's in a different class."

"I do believe that I should witness the next sparring session." Hiruzen mused. "It sounds like it could be interesting."

.

Naruto trudged out onto the sparring field with a sigh as the other children scooted away from him (although there were nowhere near as many as last time), then the Teacher made a noise of shock.

"Lord Hokage! Jonin Uchiha! I wasn't expecting you here today?"

"Well, I had some time in my schedule and decided to come and witness my shinobi-to-be in action." Hiruzen smiled genially. "As for _Hokage Koho_ Itachi, he decided to tag along too. For some reason, he seems to enjoy listening to my longwinded rambling."

Itachi's face seemed blank, but Naruto spotted the slight flicker that suggested he had stomped firmly on the impulse to roll his eyes.

"So," Hiruzen continued as he sat down on the chair that a briefly-visible ANBU had produced from a scroll, "How does this work? I have to admit, it's been quite some time since I was a trainee, so my memories are rather rusty."

"Ummm, yes, Lord Hokage. As you say."

Naruto managed not to laugh at how rattled the teacher was. "Alright… the first two names, please?"

The assistant teacher reached into the bag he was carrying and pulled out two folded pieces of paper.

.

"Something more interesting than this lesson?" Mizuki asked with a frown at the Inuzuka boy who was ignoring the writing on the board and staring out the window.

"The Hokage's on the sparring field!"

"Don't be stupid." Ino Yamanake sneered. "That's even less believable than your… what? Hey, he really is!"

"Told you." Kiba growled as the majority of the class abandoned their lesson and rushed across to the window for a better view.

"Who's the blond boy?" Shikamaru asked after a moment. "And how did he _do_ that?"

"He just threw my cousin out of the ring in one move!" Choji gasped. "How did he…?"

"Troublesome." Shikamaru sighed. "It looks like he used the attack to power his own move. That's… actually quite interesting. Who is he? A style like that would be a gift from the kamis for my clan."

"Because you're a bunch of lazy…" Ino started before catching Iruka's quelling gaze and shutting up.

"It looks like he's surprised about something."

.

Naruto looked round in confusion. The last time he had sparred, he had won almost without trying, which had led to him being told he could sit out the rest of the sparring time. This time, though, they had put his name into the bag for the second round.

What was going on?

.

"Second round, he's going out again." Shikamaru noted. "This time he's up against a… that was fast."

"Did he just… _jump-kick_ his opponant out of the ring?" Sakura sounded totally shocked. "There's _no way_ he's that strong… is he?"

.

"Naruto-kun, what technique was that?" Hiruzen asked, his voice perfectly pitched to carry without having to shout.

"It's a derivative of the tree-climbing technique." Naruto called back. "If you pulse your chakra right, it pushes things away very fast. You can use it to jump as well."

"The _tree-climbing_ technique?" The main teacher sounded shocked. "We haven't even properly started the _leaf-floating_ exercise yet!"

Naruto frowned in confusion. "You haven't? You mean I'm the only one who has?"

Hiruzen shook his head. "Itachi, can you spar with him? Naruto, let's see what level your fighting skills are… we'll use the largest ring."

.

"They're moving to the Competition Ring." Shikamaru mused. "Why would they do that? Unless…"

"Brother?" Sasuke exclaimed in shock as Itachi shed his robes to reveal he was wearing a standard ANBU uniform underneath. As Naruto stepped into the ring, Itachi replaced his weapons with ones that the ANBU who had provided Hiruzen's seat brought him, then he entered the ring and took up position, the two bowing to each other before dropping into their stances.

"What's your brother doing?" Ino prompted.

"He's in the basic stance for the _Intercepting Fist_." Sasuke noted. ""He's not using one of the advanced stances, but he… what?!"

"How did he launch himself like that?" Choji wondered as the blond boy rolled to his feet.

.

Naruto hurled the practice Kunai that he had palmed at the start and used to lead his attack while with his other hand, he unsheathed his bokken in a diagonal downwards slash, only for it to be halted by a straight wooden sword. Naruto grinned at his adversary, then did a spinning attack using a trick he had picked up from B, dropping his bokken and catching it in his knee before somersaulting backwards, then catching the falling bokken and using the momentum to perform a rising slash.

.

Choji's crisps fell to the floor as everyone gaped at the scene before them.

.

Itachi recovered his balance. Although he was not using his _sharingan_ , his reflexes were more than up to the challenge before him, although he believed that the highly unorthodox move that Naruto had just pulled would have come close to penetrating even Hiruzen's _bojutsu_ defenses due to the sheer unexpectedness of it.

While he could easily defeat Naruto in seconds if he went all-out (even without using his _sharingan_ ), the strange technique had intrigued him.

As Naruto tensed ready to attack again, Itachi countered him by launching his own set of strikes. Caught off-guard, Naruto staggered backwards, frantically defending himself, then he caught on to the pattern and his blocks and redirects became smoother and more fluid as he fought to reclaim control of the spar.

Whoever had taught him _kenjutsu_ had obviously been a master, although several of the blocks held hints of a different village's style.

A couple of probing attacks revealed to Itachi that the one who had trained Naruto had learned their style in Kumogakure and his wooden blade _moved_ in a disarming technique developed specifically for use against Kumo _kenjutsu_ practitioners. Naruto's blade spun into the air, but even as Itachi swung the sword back down, Naruto had pulled out a pair of practice kunai and had dropped into a defensive stance.

"Halt."

Naruto looked down and sighed at the sight of his foot _just_ outside the line.

"Thank you for the spar, Itachi-sama." Naruto bowed, his kunai seeming to vanish.

"You have great potential, Uzumaki-san." Itachi replied calmly, not even a single drop of sweat showing that he had been in a spar as opposed to a conversation. "I look forwards to seeing what you can achieve when you have accepted your _hitai-ate_."

.

"…troublesome." Shikamaru sighed as everyone watched the two bow to each other again. "I think that we're going to find ourselves pushed harder than I expected. What a drag..."

* * *

_._

**Competition**

Hyuuga Hiashi walked in through the gate of the Academy, his brother by his side (and half a step behind, as tradition demanded given their relative positions in the clan). Making his way to the stands, he frowned slightly at the sight of a group of people he didn't recognize standing near the Hokage, several of the unknown shinobi actually talking to him in a manner which indicated that he and they were at the very least acquaintances.

Moving closer, Hiashi caught the end of a sentence.

"…so Mei will be sending her representative over next week, unless you have any objections."

"None at all, Utakata. None at all." Hiruzen replied, then he waved for Hiashi to join them even as Hizashi peeled off to join the crowd on the raised seats. "May I introduce one of the more important people in Konoha? This is Hyuuga Hiashi, the head of the Hyuuga Clan. Hiashi, this is Utakata, currently the emissary of Kirigakure."

Hiashi managed not to react at that, but he mentally frowned at the thought of having a foreigner attending the final rounds of the week-long annual Academy Combat Event. Any half-decent Shinobi would pay a great deal of attention to the fighting styles on display so that they could reverse-engineer them later looking for weaknesses to exploit or new techniques to incorporate into their own styles.

"In addition, I would like to introduce you to Fu of Takigakure, Yugito Nii of Kumogakure, Roshi of Iwagakure and Gaara of Sunagakure, who has permission from his father to come and cheer for his friend."

This time, Hiashi _did_ react, staring in shock at the one he knew to be the Jinchuuriki of the Four-tails. Roshi simply smirked at him before turning to nod at an oddly-familiar blond boy among the competitors, one who was waving at them.

"Hokage-Dono…" Hiashi murmured, carefully directing his voice so that only Hiruzen could hear it. "How is it that the Jinchuuriki of the Yonbi knows young Uzumaki?"

"They share the same burden." Hiruzen replied just as quietly. "Aside from the Sanbi, young Naruto has contacted and befriended _all_ of the other hosts. If not for their missions, I honestly believe that the other two would be here to cheer him on as well."

Hiashi stiffened, then his eyes darted to the other unknowns, spotting several non-Konoha _hitai-ates_ as well as an odd disc that each wore, a disc engraved with numbers, a different number in the middle of each disc.

Discs that were personalized and which, he now realized, announced to those who knew what they were looking at which Jinchuuriki they were facing.

Discs that told him that _all five_ of the special guests were Jinchuuriki!

"Figured it out, have you?" Hiruzen chuckled. "Don't worry. None of them have any hostile intent towards Konoha… or each other's villages."

Hiashi tried to come up with a response, but his mind refused to co-operate. Instead, he gave a slight bow and retreated.

"You worked out the identities of our visitors too?" A voice asked and Hiashi half-turned to see his political rival and fellow clan-head Fugaku Uchiha coming to a stop beside him.

"I have." Hiashi replied politely.

"One of the nine is on our side, seven of the nine are at the very least not liable to take action against us and the ninth… I have heard that the third of nine is no longer around."

"I have heard similar rumors." Hiashi agreed as the first students took their places in the ring, ready to engage in mock-combat. "The traditions of my people say that should one holding a Biju pass beyond, it will take several years for said Biju to reform itself."

"My clan has a similar legend in its archives as well." Fugaku noted, his eyes on a young Uchiha who was almost effortlessly dominating his spar.

"There is truth in those stories." Utakata said from behind them, making both men jolt slightly in surprise. "The Biju that I host has told me that should a host die without releasing their Biju first, the Biju will seem to the world to be dead but wiill reform , although it is apparently an annoying process which may take between two to five years depending on the type of seal used."

"…I thank you for the clarification." Hiashi said politely and Utakata opened his mouth to continue, then his attention refocused on the sparring pitches.

"Ah, it looks like my little cousin is about to show us some of his skills."

Both clan-heads turned to watch.

.

"You're going down, Uzumaki." The large boy growled, flexing his (admittedly not very impressive, especially when compared to Han or Killer B) muscles in an attempt to intimidate Naruto. Naruto simply yawned,causing a small sussuration of laughter from the audience and a snarl of anger from his adversary.

"Hajime!"

"Yaaaaah!"

With a loud cry, the larger boy lunged forwards, hands reaching out to grab Naruto and drag him close enough that the boy could proceed to kick him into submission, only for Naruto to seem to slip out of his grasp before his hands could tighten, spinning to one side in a move that set him up for a powerful rising kick.

"Yaaaaaaaagh!"

The application of Naruto's foot to the boy's posterior combined with the momentum of his charge to cause him to fly forwards, landing head-first in a tangle of limbs that caused a number of winces in the audience.

"Winner, Uzumaki." The referee announced and the watching Jinchuuriki reacted by cheering (Gaara and Fu), nodding in approval (Yugito and Utakata) or simply smirking in amusement (Roshi). Naruto raised his fists in triumph before allowing himself to be ushered out of the ring to allow the next match to take place.

.

"Interesting." Nara Shikaku mused from where he was sitting with his son. "He won the match before the first punch could be thrown."

Shikamaru frowned. "All he did was yawn."

"And in doing so, he angered his opponent enough that he gave in to his rage, becoming sloppy and predictable." Shikaku noted. "Remember that, Shika. Predictability is the greatest of all tactical sins."

"Yes, dad."

.

"He's good." Hizashi noted and his niece (who had only failed to get into the competition because a faulty obstacle had broken and caused her to sprain her ankle on the day before the first round) nodded in agreement.

"He is." She agreed with the man who had persuaded her father to dig out one of the alternate styles of Jyuuken for her to learn, citing how her natural flexibility was a poor match for the rigid forms used by the vast majority of the clan. "I don't think he's a match for Neji-nii-san, but he is skilled."

"More so than you know." Hizashi chuckled, earning a confused look from Hinata. "More so than you know."

.

"Hajime!"

Naruto circled round his adversary as the taller girl observed him in turn, then he darted forwards and began a series of strikes that he aborted almost as fast, dropping out of range of her counter.

"You've trained in the Cliff Bear style." Naruto noted and the girl's eyes widened in shock.

"How did you know that?"

"One of my friends uses that style." Naruto shrugged, lowering his stance slightly. "It's a good style for absorbing damage and dealing back twice as much or delivering overpowering attacks, but it does have one weak spot… _and this is it!_ "

Matching his actions to his words, Naruto dived forwards, somehow rolling _through_ her defensive strike and spinning on his shoulder between her feet. His scything attack shattered her solid stance and as she fell, Naruto writhed like a snake, grabbing her and twisting into a hold that pinned one of her arms across her throat while the other was pulled tight across his body in a way that prevented her from being able to apply any real leverage.

"Winner, Uzumaki!"

.

"Gonna have to use that the next time I spar against Han." Roshi half-muttered to himself.

"If Naruto learned that from Han, what are the bets he's already developed a counter?" Hiruzen noted and Roshi sighed.

"He probably has, damn it."

.

" _That_ was not the same style that he used last time." Fugaku noted and Hiashi raised an eyebrow slightly in query. "I'm an _Uchiha_. Over the last five years, we've brought in those from other clans to be trained as members of the Police Force even as we've deployed our own as active shinobi. Those who have encountered shinobi from other nations have brought back new _jutsu_ and _taijutsu_ styles, styles which I have paid attention to myself, if only to know what I may find myself going up against in the future. In the first round, young Uzumaki used a variant of the Academy style. A rare variant, but one which is available to students."

"And the second round?"

"He used the style known as the _Dance of the Desert Winds_." Fugaku mused. "It's taught in Sunagakure, if my memory serves me correctly, but only to those who have wind element-aligned chakra."

"I was quite surprised to find out that Konoha does not check the elemental alignments until _after_ the students have graduated." A young voice noted and both men turned to see Gaara walking up to them. "In Suna, we are tested at the start of our second year in order to aid us in our development."

"Gaara of Sunagakure, be known to Clan-leader Uchiha Fugaku." Hiashi introduced the younger boy. "Fugaku, this is Gaara, youngest son of the Kazekage."

"It is an honor to meet you." Fugaku gave a nod that verged on actually being a bow and Hiashi mentally gave him points for his reaction. "Do I correctly deduce from your words that Uzumaki was tested in Sunagakure?"

Gaara looked at him, then turned his gaze to Hiashi.

"Fugaku is the leader of the Konoha Police Force." Hiashi explained as he watched his nephew defeating his adversary using a perfectly precise sequence of strikes. "His ability to deduce the truth from even the smallest clue is not to be underestimated."

"Careful, Hiashi-Dono." Fugaku smirked. "That sounded _almost_ like a compliment."

"You are correct. I shall be more careful in the future." Hiashi snarked back, then he caught Gaara's confused expression. "Fugaku and I head two of the great Clans of Konoha and as such, we often find ourselves opposed to each other in many things, yet we both know that we are united in what we believe to be the most important matter of all, the continued safety of our village."

"There is a phrase that the Uchiha took from the Kaguya clan before the founding of Konoha. It is _Trusted enemy_. While it does not fully apply to the relations between the Uchiha and the Hyuuga, both sides know that the other will not stoop to despicable acts such as kidnapping or blackmail. If we fight, it is in the open, face to face, not skulking in the shadows. The Kaguya took it further, they would actively protect those they deemed _Trusted Enemies_ since only the Kaguya were allowed to defeat them, but that was several centuries ago. Last I heard, they had devolved into simple berserkers and had been virtually wiped out in the Kirigakure civil war."

"That does explain a few things I had wondered about." Hiashi noted as Fugaku's youngest son took to the sparring ring.

.

"…and the final match, Hyuuga Neji versus Uzumaki Naruto." The teacher announced as the two boys entered the ring. The two shinobi-to-be bowed to each other, then dropped into their respective stances.

Neji activated his _Byakugan_ , then quickly deactivated it as Naruto made a hand-seal.

.

"Ow!" Fugaku flinched, rubbing furiously at his eyes.

"What happened?" Hiashi asked.

"Chakra flare." Fugaku grumbled. "Jonin-level at the very least. Damn it! My _sharingan_ is seeing nothing but sparkles and spots…"

"So _that's_ why Neji deactivated his _byakugan_." Hiashi realized. "I do believe that I had better find a tutor for my clan in the ways of blind-fighting. Should anyone else stumble across that technique, those of us who rely on _dojutsu_ in the field will be in grave peril."

"I'll look for one as well." Fugaku replied as he blinked furiously, his eyes no longer showing the red iris of his bloodlimit. "If I find one, I'll give you his details."

"Thank you, and likewise." Hiashi nodded.

.

"A clever trick." Neji stated just loudly enough for Naruto to hear. "You have taken away one of my greatest advantages."

Naruto grinned.

"However, I have trained in other ways of fighting too."

Naruto's grin vanished.

.

"…ow."

"Hold still." Gaara half-scolded as he wrapped a bandage around Naruto's hand, covering the deep scratches that had already been coated with ointment.

"Did you _have_ to use your sand to clean it out?" Naruto complained, only to shut up as Gaara glowered at him.

"Yes. Now hold still or I'll use even more of my sand on you."

To one side, Utakata chuckled at the scene, then turned back to where Neji was graciously receiving the trophy plaque showing that he was the Taijutsu Champion of the year.

"I'm _so_ going to get better!" Naruto stated as he jumped to his feet, then suddenly he was pulled back by a lasso of sand.

"Hold. Still."

"…sorry…"


	20. The Librarians

****

**Prologue – The End Of The Universe**

_Do not fight, Majestros. Let my probes drink every spark of consciousness within your skull.  
_ _There's nothing to be afraid of. I have everything under control. Come here, inside my mind. See for yourself.  
_ _Your friends are already here. The pale woman and her fascinating virus.  
_ _You are safe with me, Majestic. I'm the ony one. I'm the only one who's worked out what will happen when space dies._

What do you mean?  
Where am I? _What_ am I?

 _You're what you have always been. You're an intelligence. Now calm yourself. The point of final entropy approaches…  
_ _That last moment, that I have prepared for all these long and lonely eons._

B-But when total entropy occurs, the universe will reach Absolute Zero.

_Yes. It's happening as we speak. And as all things reach zero temperature, what happens to their conductivity; to their ability to pass a current?_

They… They become superconductive?

 _Yes. The entire universe becomes a superconductor where the weakest impulse will be amplified across eternity!  
_ _Even the impulse of a single thought, Majestic…  
_ _A single thought, reamplified and echoed, could set all the universe ablaze!  
_ _Do you now understand, Majestros? At Absolute Zero, the whole superconductive continuum becomes a single living mind.  
_ _Our mind!_

A-And this web of filaments?

 _My finest hairs reach into the molecular structure of Space itself. Within the superconductive whole, this mesh provides Cortex and a nervous system.  
_ _It's made of living gold.  
_ _I had to absorb an entire race of living Golden Symbionts to make it.  
_ _Now be still. Zero approaches. Let us hush our very thoughts, until we're sure we have the right thought._

 **And heat dies. Absolute cold everywhere. Our silent mind spreads out through every particle of the universe.  
** **Everywhere is so empty and so dark. Involuntarily, a thought occurs to us.  
** **It is the right thought.**

There really should be light.

**And lo, there is.**

* * *

.

 **Extracts From The Majestros File  
** **(Restricted – Hokage and Adviser level only)**

As the usual histories show, Konohagakure was formed when the warring Senju and Uchiha clans finally declared a truce and then allied to protect themselves against those who still wished to promulgate the _Age of War_. The first true settlement was relatively small, being nestled at the base of a cliff which had a lookout post at the top, a post reachable by a set of stairs within the cliff, a rising tunnel created by judicious use of _Doton_ techniques.

As other clans realized the advantages of allies and a fortified home instead of their previous nomadic existences, the Village Hidden In The Leaves grew . One of the first clans was the Hyuuga clan who, despite being neutral towards the Senju and traditional adversaries of the Sharingan-using Uchiha, pledged themselves to the growing village, an act which also brought in their own allies, including the semi-bestial Inuzuka clan, and set the stage for Konoha to become the first among the hidden villages.

Every Hidden Village has secrets, however, and Konoha is no exception. The reason that Konoha is located in its current position has less to do with tactical advantages than the fact that the cliff is where the great heroes Majestros and Eucrastia had chosen to live.

Majestros was one of the Great Warriors, able to fight both Uchiha Madara and Tobirama Senju to a standstill, using techniques unlike any others known to exist. Without the use of Chakra, Majestros could punch through solid stone and fly through the skies faster than a shout could travel, leaving a rippling peal of thunder in his wake.

His life-mate Eucrastia, although preferring to refrain from combat, was also gifted with chakraless techniques which defied duplication. With the strength of ten and reflexes so sharp that many could mistake them for being precognitive, she could flow round any attack to the point that fighting her was seen as being akin to fighting the very air itself. Rumors that she could turn into mist and heal from any injury simply by drinking blood remain unconfirmed, but were too widespread to be without foundation.

Although Majestros could have claimed the position of leadership of Konoha with ease, it is reported that he claimed to have had his fill of commanding armies and besieging cities. Instead, he declared that he would stand alongside the chosen leader as an adviser, equal to the Hokage, yet without the right to command any Shinobi save when the Hokage him- or her-self decreed that he could, and even then, only until the mission was complete.

.

When Uchiha Madara decided to unleash the Kyuubi no Kitsune upon Konoha in his rage at his rival Senju Hashirama being chosen as the first Hokage, Majestros was the one who saved the village by literally punching the Biju away from Konoha. The Kyuubi's landing created the feature known as the Valley of the End.

Knowing that he himself could not do more than simply hold off the Kyuubi, Majestros enlisted the help of Senju Hashirama and Uzumaki Mito, flying them to where the Kyuubi was recovering with Madara attempting to regain control of it. After Hashirama separated Madara from the Kyuubi with the use of the _Chojo Kebutso_ technique, the Hokage engaged the berserk Uchiha in ferocious combat while Senju Mito managed to seal the Kyuubi within herself, aided by Majestros whose punches kept the Kyuubi dazed and unable to resist.

Upon realizing that his trump card was his no more, Madara attempted to slay Mito in order to release the Kyuubi once again, only to be intercepted by Hashirama. As the duo continued their battle, Majestros flew Mito back to Konoha before returning to find Hashirama victorious, albeit heavily injured. Returned back to Konoha by Majestros, Hashirama was nursed back to health by Mito, whom he later married.

.

The vast majority of Konoha's population and virtually everyone outside the village believe the names Majestros and Eucrastia to be titles celebrating the first warriors and passed down to those deemed worthy along with the techniques which seem to use no chakra, a belief that is covertly encouraged by no less than Majestros and Eucrastia themselves. However, the truth is that the Majestros and Eucrastia who walk the streets of Konoha are in fact the original duo, possessing a lifespan measured in the millennia. It is noted that both of them, along with several of their former allies, witnessed the death of a universe and the creation of the one in which we now live, although they had to sacrifice their bodies in order to survive. However, both have admitted that they were unsuited to incorporeal life and so their friend and ally, the being known as Hadrian, eventually restored their physical forms, albeit apparently somewhat upgraded in Eucrastia's case. Careful questions have confirmed that Majestros is more powerful than he shows, but he prefers to not use his abilities if possible since it leads to his enemies underestimating him.

It is noteworthy that Majestros has stated that he currently has no _living_ enemies…

.

The Rescue Of The Sannin was the turning point of the Fire/Rain war when Hanzo The Salamander took to the field and was temporarily halted by the efforts of Team Seven, Jiraiya, Orochimaru and Senju Tsunade. As the battle ramped up, Majestros intervened by slamming into the ground at an angle, sending Hanzo flying and dispelling his Summon. Upon realizing that he could not defeat them, but that his forces had achieved most of the tasks he had set out to complete, Hanzo declared that the trio who had delayed him were to be known as the Sannin before withdrawing from the field. A conversation afterwards indicated that Hanzo had encountered Majestros before and been soundly beaten. Further details have yet to be established.

.

In the events leading up to the temporary release of the Kyuubi and the death of the Yondaime Hokage, Majestros had taken it upon himself to investigate rumors of a man claiming to be Uchiha Madara. One such rumor took him and Euchrastia to the Land of Rice Paddies, but during his absence, the Kyuubi no Kitsune was forcibly extracted from its host and dispatched to attack Konoha. Although Majestros returned and helped to hold off the Kyuubi, actually ending the attack cost the Yondaime and his wife Uzumaki Kushina their lives and the Kyuubi was sealed into their newborn son. Due to Majestros being distracted by an attack launched by an unknown, mask-wearing teleporting enemy shinobi, he was not in a position to actually witness the ending of the battle.

The knowledge that the Kyuubi had been re-sealed was officially suppressed with rumors that the Yondaime had managed a mutual kill with the Biju being deployed in their place, thus making the other Villages reluctant to deploy their own Jinchuuriki anywhere near the borders of the Land of Fire. Although initially successful, the plan was placed in jeopardy by rumors that young Naruto was the new host of the Kyuubi. It took the implementation of a law forbidding anyone from discussing the fact that Naruto was a Jinchuuriki with several public executions of those who broke the new law in order to ensure that word of the Kyuubi's fate would not travel outside the walls of the village.

In order to ensure the continued survival of the young Jinchuuriki, those shinobi known to be close to either of his parents were covertly encouraged to keep away from the boy with the explanation being that foreign spies would be watching for any sign that they were trying to protect the child of the Yondaime. Security through obscurity was the best way to prevent the Jinchuuriki from being assassinated or kidnapped, a plan which eventually resulted in the Jinchuuriki living long enough to become an Academy Trainee.

To aid in the plan, Majestros and Euchrastia were not informed as to the survival of the Yondaime's son, but were fed the public explanation that the orphaned Naruto had been granted the clan-name Uzumaki in memory of the officially-extinct clan that had once been Konoha's greatest allies.

Once the damage caused by the Kyuubi Event had started to be repaired, the Sandaime officially resumed control of Konoha, accepting the mantle of Hokage once more. In the ceremony which made the resumption of his role official, Majestros repeated the act he had performed four times previously, placing the Hokage's Hat on the head of the new Hokage.

.

The Hyuuga Incident was an unfortunate event orchestrated by Kumo in an attempt to gain a sample of the Byakugan for themselves. The Kumo Ambassador waited until Majestros had departed on a mission, then used the opportunity to kidnap the Hyuuga Heir, Hinata. Unfortunately for the would-be kidnapper, Majestros was returning from his mission as the Ambassador fled and confronted him long enough for Clan-Head Hyuuga Hiashi and his twin brother Hizashi to catch up. Knowing that he was about to be captured, the Ambassador used an area-effect suicide-jutsu to do as much damage as possible while preventing himself from being interrogated as to what his orders had been. Majestros' speed allowed him to rescue Hinata and protect her from the explosion, but Hizashi took significant injuries from the blast as he protected his brother with his own body, forcing him to retire from the Shinobi forces despite the best that the Med-nins could do.

The remains of the Ambassador were taken by Majestros to Kumo along with an official protest. To deliver the protest, Majestros simply flew straight through the wall of the Raikage's office, dropped the Ambassador's remains on the desk and knocked out the Raikage with a single punch, leaving him lying on the ground with the scroll on his chest as a sign that Majestros could easily have killed him if he had deemed it appropriate.

Since that day, the shinobi of Kumo are noted to be almost uniformly polite and non-confrontational when dealing with the Shinobi of the leaf. It is also worth noting that the-then Raikage retired within a week of the message being delivered, the Hat being taken by his son.

.

The Uchiha Massacre was another event timed to co-incide with Majestros' absence from Konoha. However, the massacre was partially averted when Eucrastia intervened. Although most of the Uchiha Jonin, Chunin and Genin had been killed by the individual known as Tobi who was utilizing a unique Jutsu that rendered himself immune to attack, Eucrastia was somehow able to fight him to a standstill long enough for Majestros to return. Faced with the Two Heroes, Tobi withdrew via what Majestros identified as the same trans-dimensional time-space technique that had been used by the unknown Shinobi during the Kyuubi Event.

It is very likely that Tobi is either the shinobi who was responsible for the death of the Yondaime, or is linked in some way.

With proof that the orders he had been following were fake, Itachi agreed to take the blame and leave Konoha, becoming a Nukenin and secret operative, funneling information back to Konoha. Sasuke was taken in by Majestros and Eucrastia, both declaring that they had experience with combat trauma and how to overcome it.

Eucrastia has since vouchsafed that Sasuke's Sharingan seems to be active but trauma-locked. As of the time of writing, she has yet to cause it to unlock, but the fact that it has activated means that any children Sasuke sires will have a very high chance of inheriting the Sharingan.

Danzo has gone into hiding after hearing that Majestros had discovered that he was the originator of the faked orders. In addition, operations by his covert group have decreased, now being purely information gathering with the results being delivered via messenger birds…

* * *

.

**Discovering A Legacy**

The man was not that much taller than average for Konohagakure, but he was tall enough to stand out in a crowd, even without his deep-lined face and sturdy build. His white beard and long hair went down past his chest, waving gently in the breeze as he walked along, his blue eyes taking in everything with the calm assurance of one who had fought a thousand battles and lived to tell the tale.

Turning towards one of the larger buildings, the man stepped aside almost reflexively as a small, blond bundle of energy dashed past, passing so close that the man's white cloak briefly flared in his wake, showing a glimpse of the red tunic and loose white trousers beneath. A quick sidestep took him out of the path of the boy's pursuers and he half-turned to watch as the chase vanished into a side-alley.

Chuckling at the sight of one of the pursuing Chunin picking himself up after failing to notice a small puddle of liquid soap _just_ where he was trying to take a corner, the man strode through the entrance of the building and his smile deepened as the dark-haired woman looked up at him from behind the desk, her blank white eyes somehow filled with love.

" _Hello, my beloved."_

" _Hello, my dear one."_ The man replied. _"It's almost lunch time."_

"The woman laughed, then half-turned. "Kagomi…"

"I know, I know." The elderly woman re-stacking one of the shelves chuckled. "I've heard that conversation _so_ many times… I'll cover your break."

"Thank you." The woman smiled as she closed the book she had been writing in.

"Go on off with you." Kagomi chuckled. "If I hadn't already lost my teeth, having you two around would be causing them to rot."

"Do you want anything brought back for you?" The man asked as the woman he had come to collect grabbed a straw hat and donned it with the effortless ease of long practise.

"I wouldn't say no to some Dango, Majestros." Kagame mused. "Some fruit juice would be nice as well."

"I'll make sure he remembers."

"He's a _man_ , Eucrastia, they're _useless_ without us women around to point out where they need to go and what they need to do."

Eucrastia giggled as Majestros rolled his eyes, then she latched onto his arm.

"Well, my dear husband?"

"Of course, my beloved." Majestros smiled, then he ducked slightly and scooped her up into his arms carrying her bridal style as she laughingly pretended to resist.

"Get out of here before all that sweetness rots my _gums_ too!" Kagame cackled as Majestros vanished through the door, his wife's hair waving in the breeze to reveal her pointed ears, ears that along with her eyes marked her as having a _Kekkei Genkei_. As the door closed behind them, Kagomi sighed.

"True love… reminds me of when…"

Trailing off, she smiled softly, then made her way to the desk where a tall shinobi with silver hair was waiting, a scroll in his hand.

.

" _I needed that."_ Eucrastia sighed as she accepted a small handkerchief from her husband and used it to wipe her lips clean. Majestros looked down as he lowered the sleeve of his tunic over the teeth-marks on his arm, marks that were vanishing incredibly quickly. _"Even now, millennia after the Ending and Beginning, I am still impressed at how your friend was able to grant us these new bodies."_

" _After he brought us with him into the new multiverse, Hadrian realized we were not cut out to be bodiless entities."_ Majestros agreed. _"While I do not miss the Simberleen, I still wish that the others had also joined us. Manny, Dantalion, Lord Math…"_

" _Jijimoto, Aptimaxer and Gemeth."_ Eucrastia finished with a sigh. _"I hope they live anew… somewhere… somewhen…"_

For a long moment, the pair sat in silence on the roof of the library, lost in the shared memory, then a sneeze jolted them back to reality.

" _What the…?"_ Majestros spun off the bench, spinning round as he tried to find the source of the sneeze. "Who's there? Show yourself!"

"Sssshhhh!" A young voice hissed frantically. "They'll find me!"

Eucrastia giggled. "I recognize that voice. You're that boy who threw glue and feathers over that merchant who threw a stone at you."

"Sure am!" The young boy boasted, peeping out from behind one of the flower beds. "Uzumaki Naruto, pleastameechu…ah!"

Eucrastia's giggles turned into full laughter as Naruto ducked behind the flower bed again just before a paint-spattered Genin landed on the roof, glanced round and then jumped away.

"Shouldn't you be at the Academy?" Majestros asked, amusement bubbling in his voice.

"Bleaugh, it's all writing and stuff." Naruto pouted as he peeped out from behind the planter again. "I wanna learn to be a _ninja_! Why does a ninja need to read when he could be learning awesome jutsu?"

"Reading can _help_ to learn jutsu." Majestros pointed out. "It can let you know what your enemies are planning and how to defeat them."

"Really?" Naruto looked at him in disbelief. "Are you a ninja?"

"I am not." Majestros shook his head. "Like my wife, I am a librarian, although I fought a great deal in the past."

"I can fight!" Naruto almost bounced into the open. "I can fight for ages and ages!"

Majestros and Eucrastia exchange looks and Eucrastia sighed.

"Give me a lift back down first. And don't stay out too late training him!"

"Of course, my beloved."

"Training?" Naruto asked eagerly.

"Training." Majestros confirmed. "Do you know where Training Ground fifteen is? Meet me there in one hour… I shall be there with a friend to help."

Naruto nodded so fast that Majestros thought for a moment that his head was about to fall off.

"You're calling in that favor for saving that little girl, aren't you?" Eucrastia asked at Majestros scooped her up.

"I am." Majestros confirmed, glancing back at where Naruto had been before he stepped off the roof and drifted down into the alley below. "That and he reminds me of the one who welcomed us here and who helped us understand the nature of Chakra, even if neither of us possesses it."

Eucrastia blinked. "Wait… his hair… his face… could he truly be…?"

"If he is, then I can repay the debt I owe his father." Majestros paused, then plucked a blond hair from where it had caught on a leaf. "It will take me but a few minutes to check."

Euchrastia nodded. "I'll finish early and go pick up Sasuke."

"Thank you, my beloved."

.

"Majestros."

"Hiashi."

The leader of the Main House of the Hyuuga Clan gave as slight bow to the man who had lightly landed in front of him . "I came in response to that message you sent. You indicated that you wished to call in the Eye Debt that the Clan owes you?"

"I do." Majestros turned and began walking, the man whose daughter he had saved from being kidnapped almost half a decade prior by his side. "Tell me… do you know of a small child named Uzumaki Naruto?"

"Blond, energetic… troublemaker." Hiashi said in a tone that in a lesser man, would have been accompanied by an eyeroll. "Has a _lot_ of chakra, though…"

"His mother was very similar… which may be why she got on so well with my wife." Majestros offered and Hiashi gave him a sideways look.

"You're not going to…"

"At the very least, I will help him to train." Majestros stated. "He has… intrigued me. Afterwards, I will go and have _words_ with Sarutobi. He should not have kept this from me."

Hiashi winced, obviously remembering what had happened when Danzo had tried to _acquire_ Majestros' wife in an attempt to duplicate her longevity bloodlimit and Majestros smirked slightly.

"So, where are we going?" Hiashi tried to change the subject.

"We are here." Majestros declaimed. "And it would seem that we are expected. Hello again, young Naruto."

"How did you know I was here?" Naruto popped out from behind a bush.

"I could see your jacket." Majestros chuckled. "That orange is very attention-grabbing."

"It helps me learn to hide." Naruto paused, looking at Hiashi's mildly quzzical expression. "If I can hide wearing this, then imagine how good I'd be wearing black or green."

"He has a very good point." Majestros admitted. "Alright, Naruto, I promised some training, so let us begin. First, let us see how well you fight, then we shall see how well you use Chakra. After all, the better you use Chakra, the more Jutsu you will be able to use."

"The leaf exercise's _boring_." Naruto grumbled as Majestros shed his cloak to reveal that he had donned a set of pauldrons and fingerless gauntlets made out of a white material that Hizashi didn't recognize, then he adopted a basic stance.

"Naruto… _attack_!"

Hiashi winced as Naruto sprinted forwards, drawing one fist back to throw a punch, only for Majestros to step past him and catch him by the elbow, causing him to flip backwards onto the ground.

"Lesson one, young one. A bigger move just makes you a bigger target. Keep all your moves tight and fast."

Naruto rolled to his feet and tried to repeat his attack, only for Majestros to catch his fist and turn, sending Naruto rolling across the grass.

"If your opponent has more control than you, it is _he_ who shall control the fight."

Naruto scrambled to his feet and charged again, this time launching himself into a flying kick, only to run into a perfectly-timed arm that robbed him of his breath and dropped him to the ground.

"You cannot dodge a counter-attack in the air, Naruto, and kicks will leave you vulnerable until you have built up your speed."

"I'm just getting started…" Naruto grunted as he rolled to his feet.

Hiashi shook his head. Whatever Naruto had been learning at the Academy, it certainly wasn't how to fight properly. Those punches were so sloppy that any Hyuuga who fought like that would be forced to undergo retraining from first principles.

.

Naruto leaned against a tree, trying to recover, as Majestros and Hiashi sparred. The Hyuuga moved faster than Naruto had previously thought possible, his hands flicking out in attacks which Majestros either sidestepped or blocked with his gauntlets. The punches that Majestros responded with were almost as fast as Hizashi's strikes, but judging by the stump of the tree that Majestros had punched through, they contained a great deal more stopping power.

"I… yield." Hiashi stepped back, breathing deeply while Majestros didn't even look as if he had been exerting himself. "Even if the Gentle Fist was effective against one such as yourself, your skill is many miles beyond mine."

"I have been fighting for longer than you have been alive." Majestros shrugged, turning to look at Naruto. "I have learned many styles."

"Which is why you annoyed Fugaku so much while he was alive and why his will asked you to look after his son." Hiashi noted with a very slight smile. "The eyes of the Hyuuga are not the only ones that cannot work against you."

"How did you _do_ that?" Naruto bust out.

"For me, I used Chakra to strengthen myself and speed my reflexes." Hiashi said. "Chakra has many uses… like this."

Naruto's eyes went wider as Hiashi walked up a tree, then back down and onto the stream-fed pond in the corner of the field.

"…wha…?"

"Normally, people start with the leaf exercise and work upwards." Hiashi noted as he stepped off the stream and looked at Naruto, the veins around his eyes briefly swelling before receding again. "For you… let us begin with water walking."

"Cooooool!"

"I will return soon." Majestros stated, then he rose into the air, an action which caused Naruto's eyes to widen and mouth to drop open.

.

Sarutobi Hiruzen paused as he heard someone tap on the window-frame behind him. Putting down his brush, he looked round to see Majestros hovering outside, glaring at him.

"You may as well come in." He sighed.

Majestros glided in through the window and Hiruzen hid a wince as Majestros' cloak billowed back to reveal that the old man was clad in what he referred to as his _battle suit_ , a red-and-white bodysuit, white pauldrons and white fingerless gauntlets, the armoured pieces being made of a material that his researchers _still_ hadn't been able to reproduce.

An outfit that Majestros had last worn when he had helped Minato to beat back the Kyuubi when it had tried to attack the village.

"You have some explaining to do, young man." Majestros seemed to loom over the Hokage, even though his feet were still on the ground. "You told us that Naruto was named in memory of Kushina, you _didn't_ tell us that he was her son! Eucrastia is quite _vexed_ with you…"

Hiruzen flinched, despite his best efforts. The last time that the lady in question had described herself as having been vexed, Shimura Danzo been forced to flee into the secret tunnels of Konoha, leaving behind his arm, an arm that had apparently been cloned from the cells of Senju Hashirama to replace Danzo's previous, useless arm.

Shimura's townhouse had been destroyed in the same incident when Majestros had punched his way into the hidden base underneath on his way to rescue his wife. Only Hiruzen's intervention had prevented the duo from hunting down and killing Danzo that day.

Hiruzen doubted that the situation could get much worse.

"I wish to point out that _I_ am also quite _irritated_ with you."

Hiruzen winced again. The situation _had_ got much worse.

"Minato was one of the few who could fight on _my_ level, Hiruzen." Majestros leaned forwards, using his fists to lean on Hiruzen's desk. "I enjoyed sparring with him. His son deserves to receive better training than he has had so far, as well as a home where he can eat more than three-minute Ramen."

Hiruzen swallowed. "Majestros… Naruto…"

"He has inherited his mother's burden, hasn't he?"

Hiruzen nodded.

"It matters not. Hiruzen, From tonight, he sleeps in the spare room of my home, next to the room of my Ward. I shall watch over him and help him to learn all he needs to know."

Hiruzen nodded again.

"Good. I am glad that we have had this talk. I am heading back now to see to the welfare of both my Ward and the son of my friend."

Hiruzen barely moved as he watched Majestros fly out of the window and vanish into the darkening sky.

* * *

.

**Foundations Of The Future**

The ceiling was one that Naruto didn't recognize. Rather than the cracked, peeling painted wood that he normally awoke to, this one was smooth white plaster, almost glowing in the morning light that shone in between the gaps of the fabric blinds which seemed to cover an entire wall.

Sitting up on the bed which was firmer, less lumpy and far more comfortable than his normal bed, Naruto looked around curiously, his sense of unreality increasing as he took in his surroundings.

The bed he was on was located against one wall and the floor was wooden, with a woven rug covering most of it. The far wall had multiple shelves mounted on it, shelves which held items that Naruto _knew_ couldn't be there since they were his own belongings.

Swinging his legs to the floor and standing up, Naruto continued his exploration, noting that his bed had open wardrobes at either end and shelves above. One wardrobe contained his clothing while the other one, at the foot of his bed, held bed-linen and a spare futon stacked in the lowest section.

A knock on the door interrupted Naruto's reverie and he made his way over, pulling it, then pushing as it refused to open.

"What the…?" He grumbled as he looked at the recessed handle in confusion, then the door slid sideways as the person on the other side opened it for him. "…Sasuke? What are you doing in my dream?"

The boy that Naruto considered his rival gave him a flat stare, then shook his head. "Dream, huh? More like a nightmare."

"Boys, behave." A firm voice cut in and Naruto peered round the door-frame to see an amused Majestros looking down at them. "Naruto, this isn't a dream. Sasuke, show Naruto where the bathing area is. Once you're both showered and dressed, come to the kitchen for breakfast."

"…and explanations?" Naruto prompted, causing Majestros' amusement to grow.

"Yes, Naruto. And explanations."

Both boys watched the man descend the stairs, then Sasuke sighed.

"Great. Grab a couple of towels and come on."

"Towels?"

"Above the bedsheets."

"How did you know that? Have you been peeking?"

"I know because it's where they're meant to go." Sasuke growled. "Towels. Now. Get."

"Sheesh." Naruto grumbled as he spotted the incredibly fluffy towels neatly folded in the wardrobe. "What a grouch."

.

Majestros chuckled as his hearing allowed him to listen to the boys bickering. Eucrastia smiled as she also listened to them, then she turned her attention back to her cup of tea.

"So, I was thinking pancakes for breakfast." Majestros pulled a frying pan out from the cupboard, then moved to the pantry to collect the basket of eggs stored there. "Did you want some?"

"That would be nice, my love." Eucrastia replied as she looked at Majestros' bare arms and the rapidly-fading toothmarks on his wrist. "I never tire of being able to actually eat."

"It's almost a shame that normal food isn't as effective as blood at helping to empower you." Majestros noted as he retrieved the milk from the fridge, then collected the ceramic jar of flour. "But at least you have the option."

Eucrastia nodded in agreement, then took another sip of tea as Majestros lit the stove with his eye-beams before drawing his fingernail around the first egg, breaking the shell into two pieces. As the first egg dropped into the pan, Majestros reached out, only to pause as Eucrastia handed the second egg to him before collecting a second pan.

"We now have _two_ young boys to feed." She pointed out with a smile. "Let me help."

"Always, my love."

.

After towelling his hair dry and dropping the towel into the wash hamper, just as Sasuke had done, a fully-dressed Naruto followed the dark-haired boy down the stairs, his eyes darting round as he tried to take in everything at once.

"Where are we?" He finally asked.

"On the stairs." Sasuke replied, using the fact that he was in front of Naruto to hide his amused smirk.

"Very funny." Naruto groused. "I mean, _where_ are we?"

"Majestros' house." Sasuke replied, inwardly chuckling at the groan from behind him.

"Sasuke, so help me, I'm gonna…"

"Sit down and have breakfast." Majestros' voice interjected and Sasuke stepped into the large kitchen, sitting down at the table. Naruto followed him and took the next seat round the square table as Majestros slid plates full of some food that Naruto had never encountered before in front of the two boys.

"Pancakes!" Sasuke exclaimed. "Thank you!"

"You are welcome, Sasuke." Majestros replied as he sat down with an even larger stack of pancakes in front of him. Naruto looked quizzically at the dark-haired woman who only had a couple of pancakes on her plate, then he watched as Sasuke accepted a jug of some odd gold-tinged thick liquid and poured a small amount over the stack of pancakes before him.

"What is that?"

"Syrup." Sasuke replied, putting the jug down, then noting the _look_ that Majestros was giving him. "…I don't normally like sweet things, but it's nice with these."

Naruto accepted the jug and carefully poured a little bit of the odd liquid over the food, then he gave the odd metal _thing_ beside his place-mat.

"What is…"

"It's called a _fork_." Sasuke noted, using the side of it to cut into the pancake stack, then spearing the top one with the implement in question. Naruto watched as Sasuke ate, then turned his attention to his own food, prodding it cautiously before gingerly using the fork like a kunai to slice off a tiny fragment. As the other three watched in various amounts of amusement, he lifted the small morsel to his mouth.

"I think he likes it." Majestros deadpanned as Naruto suddenly started almost inhaling the pancakes, causing Eucrastia to laugh while Sasuke simply rolled his eyes.

.

"Have a good day at the Academy!" Eucrastia gave both boys a quick hug as they stepped out. Sasuke simply gave a long-suffering sigh, but relaxed into the hug while Naruto went as stiff as a board, not knowing how to respond. "Try not to cause too much trouble."

"I'll keep an eye on him." Sasuke half-promised. "Come on, let's go."

Naruto let himself be towed along, glancing back at the house until they made it round the corner, then he extracted his sleeve from Sasuke's grip.

"I didn't know that you lived with them." Naruto finally admitted.

"I do." Sasuke replied curtly, then he saw the confused look that Naruto was giving him. "They took me in after _He_ killed most of the Uchiha. Majestros has been helping me to become stronger so that one day I can avenge the dead of my clan."

"He got someone called Hiashi to help me with my Chakra control." Naruto offered and Sasuke tripped on something that Naruto couldn't see, landing full-length in the dust. "Hey, you okay?"

Sasuke picked himself up and gave Naruto a disbelieving glance. "Hiashi? As in _Hyuuga_ Hiashi?"

Naruto nodded. "Yep, that was it! He got me walking on water, it was _easy_! The tree-walking wasn't so easy, though… he had to catch me quite a bit."

"…what about the leaf exercise?" Sasuke finally prompted and Naruto sighed.

"Still can't do it. The last time I tried, the leaf _exploded_!"

Sasuke shook his head in disbelief. "…what?"

"What?"

"I… never mind." Sasuke shook his head and resumed the interrupted journey. "I guess that Majestros is going to make you his ward too."

"What's a ward?"

The artless question caused Sasuke to stumble, but unlike the previous time, he managed to not measure his length on the path.

.

"First!"/"First!"

The twin shouts echoed through the classroom as two girls, a blond and one with pink hair, piled through the door in a manner which most impartial observers would have sworn blind violated at least two laws of physics. Coming to a stop, they both eagerly scanned the room, then sagged.

"He's not here, Ino…"

"I can see that, Sakura…"

Both girls seemed to sag without actually moving, then Ino gasped. "What if he's sick?"

"He'd need nursing!" Sakura responded without stopping to think. "Where does he live?"

"I'm _not_ sick." A voice stated coldly from behind them and both girls bounced away from the door with startled squeaks. "Naruto, stop lagging."

"Na…" "…ruto?" Ino and Sakura looked at each other in horror, both of them reaching the same conclusion simultaneously. " **Sasuke's** _ **gay**_?"

"Nah, he's just asexual." Naruto shook his head as he was dragged past the pale girls. Sasuke slammed to a halt, then turned to look at Naruto in confusion.

"Hang on, you had no damned clue as to what a ward was before I told you, you know pretty much _nothing_ about the various Bloodlimits of the clans and yet… _how_?"

"Whenever I got bored in the evenings, I'd go out and talk to the women who liked to stand on the street corners." Naruto shrugged. "I even earned some ryo for giving them massages in their shared flats. Standing around like that can give them backaches, so I helped them relax."

Sasuke stared at Naruto, his expression a peculiar mix of confusion, disbelief and shock.

"Why would you talk to _them_?" One of the other girls in the classroom asked, having managed to connect the mental dots faster than most of the other students present.

"They don't glare at me." Naruto replied in a _it's obvious_ tone of voice and Sasuke growled in frustration.

"Come on. You're sitting next to me. Perhaps that'll stop the damned wannabe kunoichi from trying to cuddle up to me."

"Okay?"

Ino and Sakura watched the two boys move to one of the two-seat tables by the window and sit down, Sasuke keeping Naruto between him and the rest of the class like a shield.

"…what just happened?" Ino finally managed.

.

"Naruto… you seem to be having trouble with that." Sasuke noted as Naruto squinted at the page in front of him.

"Well, what does _this_ mean?" Naruto pointed at one of the kanji.

"Intercept."

"…really?" Naruto blinked. "…that sorta means block, meet or tackle, right?"

"Who taught you to read?" Sasuke shook his head, then paused as Naruto looked away. " _No-one_ taught you?"

"It's tricky!" Naruto protested. "I get some of it, but then there's all these new words I don't know and…"

Ignoring Sensei Iruka's expression of horrified understanding, Sasuke looked at Naruto. "You're going to owe me _hugely_ for this."

"…for what?"

"Majestros and Eucrastia are busy people, you need _serious_ one-on-one help and thanks to Yamanaka-san, I _know_ that I don't have the patience to do it myself at the moment."

"You what?!" Naruto protested, but Sasuke ignored him as he stood up.

"Your attention, please!" He spoke loudly, getting the attention of everyone in the class. "It would seem that the person assigned to teach Naruto how to read when he was younger decided not to do it, so Naruto needs help with remedial reading. If anyone can help him, then…"

"I'll do it!" A voice interrupted him and all eyes turned to the speaker, who blushed furiously under the sudden scrutiny, but nodded to confirm the offer.

"…what just happened?" Naruto asked curiously.

"Are you free the day after tomorrow?" Sasuke asked, receiving another nod. "Will you need an escort?"

"I… I'll be fine." Hinata managed.

"…what are you talking about?"

.

"Eucrastia? Majestros?"

"Eucrastia is at the archives, they discovered that there had been a clerical error that requires quite a bit of re-sorting." Majestros stated from the kitchen. "What happened?"

"Naruto can't read." Sasuke stated as he racked his shoes.

"Can!" Naruto protested.

"Naruto can't read _very well_." Sasuke expanded his previous statement. "Hyuuga Hinata has volunteered to spend some of her free time teaching him."

"…interesting." Majestros mused as he emerged from the kitchen, drying his hands with a towel. "Naruto, there is no shame in admitting when you are weak or do not understand a situation. Knowing your weaknesses means that you can then fix them or at least protect against them being exploited."

"He's right." Sasuke interjected as he opened the pantry to grab a tomato from the bowl within. "Eucrastia had to quite literally _drag_ me to my first few therapy sessions with Yamanaki Inoichi."

"I can only imagine what you would have been like without them." Majestros joked, causing Sasuke to stick his tongue out at him. "Naruto, have an apple or a tomato, then both of you change into your sparring clothes."

"…sparring clothes?" Naruto asked in confusion. "I have sparring clothes?"

"Wardrobe furthest away from the window, underneath your hanging jackets." Sasuke supplied before taking another bite of his tomato.

"You _have_ been peeking in my room!"

"Yours is arranged the same way _mine_ is." Sasuke protested. "It's how Majestros arranged things when he brought your stuff over."

Naruto looked at the white-haired man, who nodded in confirmation.

"…oh."

* * *

.

**Support And Structure**

"I'll get it." Sasuke called as a knock sounded at the front door. Dropping his pen, Sasuke almost catapulted himself away from the kitchen table (and the homework spread upon it), running silently through the house to greet the visitor. Opening the door, he bowed slightly.

"Hizashi-sama, Hinata-san, welcome to the House of Majestros."

"Thank you." Hizashi said gravely as Sasuke waved them inside. Limping forwards, the man with almost half his face covered in burns moved past Sasuke, his cane tapping lightly against the wooden floor.

"Wha..!?" Naruto's voice echoed from the kitchen and Sasuke winced. "Hiashi-sama! What happened? You were fine when you taught me how to tree- and water-walk!"

"Dammit, Naruto!" Sasuke muttered to himself, but before he could correct the blond, someone else did it for him.

"Naruto-san, this is my _uncle_ , Hyuuga Hizashi, my father's younger brother. He was injured protecting my father from a suicide-jutsu performed by a Kumo Shinobi who was trying to kidnap me."

The mix of pride, sorrow and gratitude in Hinata's voice as she explained Naruto's error made Sasuke smirk slightly. As he stepped into the kitchen, it was to see Naruto bow.

"My apologies, Hizashi-sama…"

"No apologies are necessary." Hizashi waved it off. "You spoke from ignorance, not malice. Now that you know, I am certain that you will not make the same mistake again."

Naruto nodded almost frantically as Sasuke's smirk widened.

"Hello, Hizashi." Eucrastia said in greeting as she seemed to float down the stairs.

"Eucrastia." Hizashi nodded back. "May I ask where Majestros is?"

"Another mission." Eucrastia sighed. "He's taking this years reports to the Daimyo's Court."

"I heard that Asuma has almost finished reconstituting the Twelve Shinobi Guardians." Hizashi replied. "I also heard a rumor that the Daimyo offered you and Majestros a place in the ranks of the new Twelve."

"He did." Eucrastia shook her head. "We turned him down… politely. Just like he has the previous three Daimyos."

Naruto blinked. "Huh?"

.

Majestros came to a halt so that his eyes were a bare hairsbreadth below those of the Daimyo, who was stood on the balcony that overlooked the Formal Gardens, a huge grassy lawn with deep koi pools that formed the kanji for _fire_.

"The annual reports from Konohagakure, Lord of Fire." Majestros held out a sealing scroll and Sarutobi Asuma stepped forwards to take it from his hands. "The Hokage sends his deepest respects."

"He always does." The Daimyo noted as Asuma passed the scroll to one of the many interchangeable assistants. "Pass my regards to him when you return."

"As you wish, Lord of Fire." Majestros nodded. "Do you wish to send any messages or messengers back?"

"Not at this time." The Daimyo waved his fan dismissively. "Thank you for your service, Majestros."

Majestros gave a slight bow, then accelerated away.

"Why do you let him talk to you like that, most sublime one?" One of the newer members of the court asked.

"Majestros and his wife Eucrastia are the most powerful warriors in the Elemental nations." The Daimyo replied, his eyes tracking Majestros' distant form. "It is said that Majestros himself was able to wrestle the Kyuubi no Kitsune into submission not once but _twice_. While I remain uncertain as to whether it was indeed _this_ Majestros or one of his ancestors who performed that feat, one cannot deny that he has abilities that no other Shinobi possesses. Not in the land of Fire or any other nation to the best of our knowledge.  
"No, Majestros is as an heirloom blade, to be treated with respect and wielded with care. Once you understand that, you will understand why he is one of the few who I have given permission to address me by my name, without titles, should he wish to do so."

The flunky's jaw dropped while Asuma concentrated on not smirking.

.

.

"I'm home!" Majestros called out as he opened the front door.

"Kaasan's gone to the library." Sasuke noted as he glanced up from the book he was reading. "Hizashi dropped off Hinata, she and Naruto are in the garden going through a scroll of basic Kanji. Hizashi is playing solitaire on the patio."

"Which sort of solitaire?" Majestros asked as he hung up his cape and Sasuke closed his eyes in thought.

"Um, the one where the cards start in a triangle, kinda. The seven column one?"

"Ah, yes." Majestros nodded as he placed his gauntlets on a shelf, then slid a finger under his left pauldron to unlatch it. "I know the one. Well remembered. Your memory skills are improving."

"You and Eucrastia keep testing me." Sasuke mock-complained, although the twitching of his lips belied his apparent dissatisfaction.

"Scamp." Majestros chuckled as he finished hanging his pauldrons on the armor rack. "I'll get changed and head out there to see how they're doing. Anything else I should know about before I do?"

Sasuke shook his head. "Nope. I think I covered the important things."

Majestros nodded. "Good. I need to get changed."

Sasuke gave a small shrug and turned his attention back to the book in his hands.

.

"How goes it?"

Hizashi lowered his cup and glanced up at Majestros.

"Better than expected." The scarred man replied just as quietly so as to not disturb the duo on the grass. "I am uncertain as to whether it is my niece's teaching skills or Naruto's intelligence, but he already seems to have a good grasp on the basics."

"His father was one of the most intelligent people I have ever met." Majestros noted. "His mother was on a par with him… the two of them could easily have reshaped the world, had it not been for…"

Hizashi nodded slightly in agreement with what Majestros had not said, then reached out to pick up the teapot.

"Do you want to join me?"

"I do believe that I shall." Majestros pulled his legs up into seiza, then floated down to settle on the other side of the low table, accepting the cup of tea that Hizashi held out.

"There are times that I envy your ability to fly, Majestros." Hizashi noted blandly, causing Majestros' eyes to crinkle in amusement.

"It does have its uses."

The two men sat in companionable silence as they sipped their drinks, their eyes resting on where Hinata was carefully guiding Naruto through the various Kanji forms.

"She is good at teaching." Majestros finally noted. "Yes, Naruto does seem to be picking it up quickly, but…"

"I think that Naruto is learning more than just his Kanji." Hizashi noted. "It would seem that he is actually learning… how to _learn_."

"Something that too few achieve." Majestros sighed. "By the way, if you move the red seven onto the black eight…"

Hizashi looked down at the cards arrayed in front of him. "By the Sage, you're right! That'll free up the five… which means the four can be…"

Majestros chuckled quietly as Hizashi's free hand blurred into motion, shifting the cards to clear another column.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Those who have read Mr Majestic – the Big Chill will recognize the names of the Last Ones. Aptimaxer (Last Hero of Elber), Simberleen (an intelligent blood-borne virus), Manny Weiss (The Wandering Jew), Dantalion (The last Daemonite), Lord Math (the Abstract Spirit of Arithmancy ), Jijimoto (The Red God) and Gemeth (the Enlightened Engine).
> 
> Majestros was, of course, Mr Majestic (of Wildstorm fame), Eucrastia was the Last Vampire and Hadrian was Spartan of the WildC.A.T.S.


	21. Strength Of Will

**Prologue**

Naruto grumped as he crawled through the bushes at the base of the Hokage monument, searching for a spot out of the cold drizzling rain.

He growled as he thought about the bully who had destroyed his room and the matron who had blamed him and thrown him out.

How was a five-year-old meant to…

Naruto's thoughts cut off as he found himself looking at a small cave one barely waist high to him, but it was shelter and without hesitation, he wriggled into it.

The inside of the cave seemed very smooth. A ninja would have recognized it immediately as artificial, the walls and roof formed by _Doton_ techniques.

A _paranoid_ ninja would have noticed the security seals.

A _prepared_ ninja would have anchored a rope to one of the trees outside and had team-mates ready to pull him out at an instant's notice.

Naruto wasn't a ninja, despite his desire to be one.

As such, it was a total shock to him when the ground beneath him suddenly opened, dropping him down a long chute and into a reinforced glass pen inside a large chamber lit by seals set into the ceiling. Unsteadily rising to his feet, Naruto leaned against one of the walls for support, only for the glass to slip out of the decayed fastenings and shatter on the ground.

For a long moment, Naruto held his breath as he waited for the inevitable angry shouting, but to his surprise, nothing happened.

Carefully avoiding the worst of the glass, Naruto moved around the room, staring at the odd shelves and their contents. Strange liquids, internal organs and even less-identifiable objects floated in various jars, then he blinked as he saw something on a low shelf, something that intrigued his curiosity.

A jar which was at just the right height for him to grab wasn't filled with weird liquids or strange shapes, but with a dozen or so things that looked almost exactly like a piece of candy that Naruto had once picked up from the floor and eaten before the matron could notice.

A slight twinge in his midsection decided his action and Naruto grabbed the jar from the shelf, knocking the lid off. Lifting it up, he popped one into his mouth and started chewing. The fruity taste wasn't like anything that he had tasted before, but he liked it so as soon as he had swallowed the firs pill, he grabbed two more and resumed eating.

Once all of the pills had gone, Naruto carefully put the lid back on and put it to the shelf that held several other empty jars before snuggling down in a corner of the room. As he dozed off, his last view was of the label of the jar, a label that he couldn't decode because he could not read.

_Experimental Medicine 139_

_Chakra To Strength Augmentation Pills_

_C_ _onverts Chakra to biological augmentation  
_ _Effect lasts approx 24 hours +/- for single pill  
_ _Each additional pill doubles time of effect_

_Notes – Requires Jonin-plus-levels of Chakra to avoid lethal chakra depletion  
_ _Effects only work on pre-pubescent subjects._

_Status - Failure._

.

The ANBU slithered down the pipe with ease, red eyes taking in all the traps designed to take out those who knew how to use chakra and using that knowledge to render them incapable of triggering. Reaching the bottom, he somoersaulted to the ground and looked round, almost instantly spotting the sleeping child.

"This is Itachi." He half-whispered. "Target located, status asleep and unharmed. Current position seems to be in an abandoned outpost, handwriting on the jars matches that of the traitor Orochimaru. Please advise."

For a long moment, he remained motionless, then he gave a sharp nod.

"Understood."

Pulling out a prisoner scroll, he carefully draped it over the sleeping boy, then applied some chakra, causing the scroll to drop the the ground as Naruto vanished. Re-rolling it, he leapt up to the ceiling and swarmed up the vent, emerging just by a wolf-masked ANBU, who was keeping guard along with a large dog.

"The science team is on its way." The canine-themed ANBU reported. "All traps dealt with?"

Itachi nodded once, then vanished in a swirl of black feathers that evaporated as they fell, leaving no trace behind.

"Show-off." The wolf-masked ANBU shook his head slightly.

"He has the right to be." The dog pointed out. "He has the skills to back up his display. He has the potential to be an Alpha."

The Wolf-masked ANBU sighed. "Yeah, yeah. I hope the geek squad get here soon. I _hate_ the rain."

"So do I. Wet humans don't smell good."

"Hey!"

.

Itachi landed outside the Hokage's office and tapped on the window before sliding it open and dropping off the windowsill.

"Hokage, mission complete and we found another of the traitor's hidden storerooms." Itachi presented the scroll and Hiruzen nodded in satisfaction.

"Excellent. Since the Orphanage is no longer safe for him even with the former matron now answering to Inoichi, I think it is time to give him a place of his own. Fortunately, his father earned enough money that I can use it to purchase a flat for him _and_ set up a regular stipend, meaning that no-one will be able to try to claim him for themselves."

Itachi carefully didn't respond to Hiruzen's implication that Danzo was maneuvering to seize control of what could potentially be Konoha's greatest asset.

"Where should I put him?"

"On the couch over there." Hiruzen pointed. "He won't have been the first to have slept on it, nor will it be the first time for him."

Itachi nodded, then in a blur of motion, unrolled the scroll above the sofa and released Naruto from it, flicking the scroll up as he did so. Naruto fell less than a hairs-width onto the cushions, the minuscule drop not even registering to his sleeping mind and Itachi rolled the scroll up and pocketed it.

"Dismissed." Hiruzen said as he picked up a brush and began writing, then he tapped a small button on his desk.

"Ah, Kirito, I want to know what small apartments are currently owned by Konoha as safe-houses and are currently unoccupied."

"Hai!"

.

Naruto drowsily stretched as he drifted towards wakefulness, although the languid laziness that affects those neither awake nor asleep permeated his every muscle.

"Finally awake, are you?" An amused voice asked and Naruto opened his eyes, looking round at the room he was in. "How do you feel?"

"…hungry." Naruto finally decided. "Who you?"

"My name is Hiruzen." The oddly-dressed man behind the desk smiled.

"You old…" Naruto mused, brow crinkling in thought. "…Grandpa?"

Hiruzen chuckled. "Yes, you can call me that if you want, Naruto. After all, I am far older than you are."

.

Hiruzen stared in disbelief as Naruto finished off the fourth platter of food placed in front of him.

"Are you sure he isn't from my clan?" The waiter asked jokingly as he looked approvingly at the young blond boy.

"No, he isn't an Akamichi." Hiruzen shook his head in disbelief. "No matter how much he managed to eat…"

"Who were his parents?" The waiter asked. "Or should I not ask?"

"Traitors." Naruto grumped before Hiruzen could reply. "Bad place woman told me. Parents did bad thing when I was born and were exe… exe… killed."

"She lied." Hiruzen made a mental note to reassign Ibiki to work alongside Inoichi in interrogating the woman who had been meant to keep watch over Naruto. "Your parents were great ninja who I was honored to know."

"Who were they?" Naruto asked guilelessly and Hiruzen hid a wince as he realized that he needed to negotiate the conversation _very_ carefully if he was to retain the trust that Naruto was tentatively offering him. The waiter vanished, leaving them alone and Hiruzen leaned closer to Naruto, prompting the younger boy to do the same.

"Naruto, your parents were such great shinobi that many in the other villages _hated_ them for being so good. If they knew you existed, they would try to kill you before you could become even _half_ as good as they were. Now, I will tell you, but only when you are old enough to defend yourself against them. When you reach sixteen or become a Chunin, whichever is first, it is _then_ that I will tell you who your parents were."

Naruto frowned. "But you're _old_ … what happens if you die before I become chunin?"

"I'm not _that_ old…" Hiruzen protested, then he paused as he saw Naruto's glower. "…but I _will_ make sure that several of my most trusted ninja also know, so that if something _does_ happen, you will still be able to learn about them."

Naruto pouted, but finally nodded. "…okay."

Hiruzen leaned back in his seat, then looked up to see the Waiter hovering in the doorway, holding a platter of sweets. With a nod, he motioned for it to be placed before Naruto. As Naruto gave a cheer and began scooping up spoonfuls of pudding, the Waiter leaned close to Hiruzen.

"I overheard earlier that he was getting a place of his own and a stipend." He half-whispered. "I think it would be best to have him near my clan's place since judging from his appetite, he'll need a constant supply of cheap, nutritious food if he isn't to end up raiding bins."

"…you may be right." Hiruzen finally agreed, mentally reviewing the property files he had leafed through earlier and discarding the flat that he had originally intended to have Naruto inhabit.

Still, having Naruto possibly learn from the Akamichi rather than the retired shinobi he had originally been counting on could prove very useful in the future. After all, it would also lead to Naruto learning from the Yamanaka and the Nara clans, meaning that he would have a ready-made conduit for regular reports on Naruto's mental health.

Of course, he would need to meet with the three clan-heads to arrange matters, not least to warn the Yamanaka clan _not_ to try to use any of their signature jutsu on the young Jinchuuriki.

Returning his attention to the restaurant, Hiruzen blinked as he saw Naruto digging into a bowl of fruit, the dessert having been polished off during his ruminations.

"He really does have a healthy appetite." The Waiter chuckled as Hiruzen stared in shock.

How had such a little boy eaten so much?

Had the orphanage been starving him?

.

Naruto flopped onto the bed, and sprawled out, luxuriating in the feeling of a mattress that wasn't stuffed with straw but was some sort of soft substance he'd never encountered before.

Jiji had given him the keys to the flat and made a point of introducing him to the nearby Akamichi family (who were _huge_ … in both senses of the word). In exchange for a tenth of his stipend, the Akamichi clan had agreed to let Naruto eat as much as he wanted at their Feasting Hall once a day, twice if he helped out with the chores.

Naruto had also made a new friend, a good-natured boy named Choji who was larger than him, but didn't have as much stamina. Choji and him had helped the Akamichi chefs to prepare what had seemed like several tons of vegetables, but the resulting stew had been filling and very, very tasty.

During the meal, Naruto had also met two men who were close friends of Choji's dad. Inoichi had seemed really cool (and he was blond! Awesome!) while Shikaku had seemed lazy, but had cracked a joke that had almost caused Naruto to drown in his stew due to him laughing so hard.

With a smile, Naruto closed his eyes and relaxed in the embrace of his bed.

Perhaps being thrown out of the orphanage had been a good thing, after all.

.

"He cannot read." Shikaku offered as he accepted a refill of his sake. "You may need to teach him properly."

"I saw how much he ate." Inoichi commented. "How much is he paying you for guest-status?"

"It's an investment." Choza countered. "Sure, he's paying us, but only a fraction of what we'd normally charge."

"He's already made friends with Choji." Shikaku mused. "Soon, he'll encounter Shikamaru and Ino… with his parentage and his status, he has a great deal of potential, both as a Shinobi and politically… I am impressed, Choza. That's a _very_ clever maneuver you've pulled off. I take it you'd like us to help?"

Inoichi glanced at his two team-mates. "Alright… what have I missed now?"

"With the right foundation, he could put _both_ his parents in the shade." Choza raised his eyebrows at Shikaku, who nodded.

"I can find someone who can create an exercise regimen for him. As for his fighting style… I'll have to research. His father's style relied on his reflexes being even faster than the _sharingan_ could counter. His mother used Chakra constructs to enhance her style… this will take some thought."

Choza chuckled. "How many people have the chance to say that they've trained their future Hokage?"

"…what?"

* * *

.

**Academy Scenes**

"Let's move!" Ino caroled, pointing forwards. "Mush! Mush!"

"You're being troublesome again, Ino." Shikamaru sighed not even bothering to duck as Ino flailed down at him from her perch on Naruto's shoulders. The blond boy chuckled as he placed one large hand over Ino's ankle, allowing her to lean over to swat her lazy friend without risking falling off.

"Oi!"

"You were asking for it, Shika." Choji chuckled, glancing up to meet Naruto's amused gaze.

"Yeah, yeah." Shikamaru grumped. "Remind me just _why_ we're friends again?"

"Because you can hide behind me whenever your mom is on the warpath?" Naruto chuckled and Shika glanced up again, then across at Choji, who was grinning.

"Troublesome."

"You know…" Ino mused, "It's going to be odd when we graduate. Think we'll be the first _four_ -person squad?"

Naruto shrugged, causing Ino to reflexively wrap her arms around his head for stability.

"Doubt it." Shikamaru sighed. "'ruto'll probably be on another team since we're already being encouraged to be the next Ino-Shika-Cho trio."

"Hey, once Choji grows a bit bigger, you'll be able to perch on _his_ shoulders." Naruto joked and Choji promptly flexed his arm to show his strong biceps, grinning as he did so.

"He still needs to gain some inches." Ino sniffed and Choji looked up at his almost-six-foot-tall friend.

"She has a point."

"Once you learn your clan's multi-size Jutsu, you'll be able to make _me_ look tiny." Naruto shot back. "Remember when your dad demonstrated how big he could go?"

Choji nodded slowly. "Yeah… and his expression when you asked if he could _bounce_ in his tank form…"

"He says he's almost cracked it." Naruto shrugged again, ignoring Ino's wordless complaint as her seat shifted. "He'll probably make a point of teaching it to you."

"Hope so." Choji agreed. "Sure, having you to wrestle with has really helped me get strong, but I'm going to need some new skills if I'm gonna have a chance once we're proper shinobi."

.

"What the…?"

Umino Iruka looked up from the last few pieces of paperwork that needed doing before class could commence. "What is it?"

"I thought that Inoichi was bringing his daughter in, but that isn't him. Who is it?"

Rising from his desk, Iruka walked across to join his assistant at the window, looking down at the entrance to the Academy grounds. A quick glance let him locate the object of his assistant's curiosity.

"Ah, that's Uzumaki Naruto. Huh, I'd heard he was big, but…"

"He's bigger than _I_ am!" Mizuki protested and Iruka nodded slowly.

"So he is… I wonder how big he'll be at graduation?"

"He's a walking wall of muscle _now_!" Mizuke protested. "How will we get anyone to spar with him?"

"…you may have a point." Iruka finally agreed. "You may have a point."

.

"Big brother… who is _that_?"

Itachi followed his brother's curious gaze. "That would be Uzumaki Naruto, an orphan who is clan-friend to the Nara, Yamanaka and Akamichi clans."

"He's _huge_!" Sasuke breathed in amazement. "What year is he in?"

"Yours." Itachi kept his face impassive as Sasuke's jaw dropped in shock, then his younger brother shook his head.

"Nu-uh! He's too big! He must be at least about to graduate!"

Itachi simply raised one eyebrow, secretly enjoying his brother's reaction.

"Come on. It is almost time for your class to begin."

.

Hinata couldn't believe her eyes as she entered the classroom. At the back of the room were the Ino-Shika-Cho trio that her father had told her about, but beside them was someone who, at first glance, shouldn't have been there.

She didn't know who the blond boy was (as her briefing had only covered clan-heirs and those with known important political affiliations), but he was looming above everyone else to the point that he was looking slightly uncomfortable behind his desk.

"Who's the blond loser?" One of the other girls in the class scoffed. "And how many times has he had to repeat this year?"

The blond frowned, but the girl next to him quickly slapped his arm and shook her head.

"That is Uzumaki Naruto, who's eight years old." Their teacher noted from the front of the room.

"We think it's a form of _Kekkei Genkai_." The sleepy-looking boy sat beyond the girl yawned. "Naruto's an orphan, so we don't know for sure, but it fits what we do know."

"There's your answer." The teacher noted. "Now sit down so that I can take your names."

"Even mine?" Naruto chuckled and Iruka sighed.

"Yes, Naruto, even yours."

.

"Huh." Hiruzen stared down from his window as he watched the new students making their way into the Academy. "You know, it hadn't actually occurred to me before today just how _odd_ Naruto's size is."

"It may be because of his burden." The silver-haired ANBU standing beside him offered. "According to our records, Senju Mito was fully grown when she sealed the Kyuubi into herself and Kushina was almost fully grown when it was her turn to host the nine-tails. Naruto is both the first _male_ Jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi _and_ the first to have it sealed into him as a baby. I think we were lucky to just have it boost his growth. Have you heard about the problems that Suna is having?"

"Training their Jinchuuriki by trying to kill it?" Hiruzen nodded. "Idiots. How do they expect him to be loyal to them after trying to kill him?"

"Family bonds?" The ANBU offered.

"Perhaps." Hiruzen conceded, watching as the yard emptied. "With strong links to three clans already, as well as his seeing me as a type of grandfather, Naruto's loyalty to Konoha is almost assured."

"Much to Danzo's annoyance."

Hiruzen chuckled at the silver-haired man's comment. "Indeed. Danzo sees the strength of steel and muscle, but he doesn't understand that mercy and forgiveness can be far greater weapons if used correctly."

For a long moment, the two men stood silently, then Hiruzen sighed and moved to his desk.

"I have a mission for you, Inu."

"I am yours to command, Hokage."

.

Naruto staggered back as Choji delivered a straight punch that hit him in the stomach, then he dropped to one knee so that he could catch the scything kick that would have destabilized him.

"Oh… crap." Choji muttered, having encountered that exact situation before, then Naruto spun to his feet, using his superior size to swing Choji round, sending him into the air on a high arc that carried him out of the sparring circle and into the pond.

"Why do you always aim for there?" Choji spluttered as he waded out of the knee-deep pond.

"Softer landing than solid ground." Naruto offered and Choji paused for a moment before nodding in reluctant agreement.

"Yeah, it kinda is. At least I'm not the only one who ends up there."

Choji wasn't the only one to nod in belated understanding of Naruto's preferred way of ending a fight. As Choji squelched his way back to the ring, Naruto bowed to him, offering one hand in the seal of reconciliation, an offer which Choji reciprocated.

"Winner, Naruto… _again_." Mizuki noted from the sidelines. "We're going to have to match you up against the older students. You're just too big for a proper fight."

"Not my fault I'm the biggest and strongest one around." Naruto chuckled. "I barely even exercise."

"Older students it is." Mizuki noted.

* * *

.

**Graduation Events**

"You wanted to see me, sir?" Naruto asked as he ducked in through the doorway and Mizuki nodded.

"I did. You know that you tied with Uchiha Sasuke for the position of Rookie of the Year?"

Naruto nodded slowly. "He's very… driven. Fortunately for me, I had the Akamichi, Nara and Yamanaka to help me learn what I really needed to. Getting my Chakra under control was difficult, but worth it."

"Which is why he is also participating in the tie-breaker." Mizuki shrugged. "It's to decide which of you truly deserves the rank _and_ it will be noted on your files, meaning you'll probably reach Chunin sooner, thus giving you a better chance of reaching Jonin."

It had been a shot in the dark, but Mizuki knew he had scored when Naruto's eyes lit up.

"What do I do, sir?"

"It's an infiltration test." Mizuki leaned forwards. "Sasuke has his own mission, but if you wish to beat him, you must infiltrate the Hokage's office and retrieve the fake Forbidden Scroll."

"Fake?" Naruto tilted his head and Mizuki chuckled.

"Of course. Do you really think that we'd use the _real_ one for this? Retrieve the scroll and make your way to the rendezvous point, the disused shed just past training ground thirteen. Either Iruko or I will be there to grade you."

As Naruto grinned, Mizuki held up a finger. "Just remember, this is a _covert_ mission. You lose points if anyone not read into the mission finds out, or if you mention it to anyone assigned to stop you… and I'm afraid the Hokage is on the other side for this exercise."

Naruto nodded. "Got it, Sensei, and thanks."

"Good." Mizuki smiled. "Go. The mission starts at sundown and ends at midnight. Plan carefully."

"Hai, Sensei!"

.

"Come on, you lazybones!" Ino scolded Shikamaru, causing Choji to fight down the urge to laugh. "Let's move!"

"You know, you could just as easily have fetched him _without_ us." Shikamaru pointed out logically. "You pulled me away from watching a wonderful sunset."

Ino let out a noise somewhere between a groan and a sigh, then blinked as something flashed by overhead. "Was that Naruto?"

"I… Choji, boost me!"

"Okay, Shika." Choji half-crouched to let Shikamaru step up onto his hands, then with a grunt of effort, he launched Shikamaru straight into the air. The smaller boy controlled his spin, almost floating for several seconds, then he dropped down, Choji catching him with the ease of long practice.

"It's Naruto… as if anyone else is _that_ big normally… but he's wearing a _black_ tunic instead of his normal orange one and he's put a dark bandanna on."

"He's… being _stealthy_?" Ino shook her head in disbelief. "Naruto? Stealthy?"

"He's quite good when he needs to be." Choji defended his larger friend. "Remember when he popped up behind you and you fell over into the pond?"

"I've tried _very_ hard to forget." Ino growled. "Now I'll have to repress that memory _again_. _Thank_ you."

"He's heading for the Academy." Shikamaru pointed out. "Come on, let's follow him and find out what he's doing."

.

"Sensei?" Naruto looked round the small clearing that surrounded the shed. Bending down, he peered in through the window, then straightened up again, rising to his full eight feet of height. "Sensei Mizuki? I've got the fake scroll."

"Excellent." Mizuki leapt out of the trees and landed on the roof of the shed. "Hand it over and it'll be… _hrk_?"

"Shadow binding, success." Shikamaru's voice said and Naruto groaned.

"Great. That's going to cost me. Dammit, Shika, now _Sasuke_ 's going to be Rookie of the Year!"

"Is that what this is about?" Ino scowled as she emerged from the undergrowth. "Being number one?"

"Being Rookie of the Year traditionally allows you to ask to be on a specific team." Naruto shrugged. "I wanted to be that so I could ask to be with you guys."

Ino paused in thought. "I… yeah. I thought it didn't seem like you, but… that makes sense."

"Hey!" Choji pointed at the scroll Naruto was holding. "That's the _real_ Forbidden Scroll! Look at the end-caps!"

Naruto blinked, then he reached out and grabbed Mizuki by his vest, lifting the furious chunin off the roof.

"Shika, we need to see your dad about this. Something isn't right… ow!"

Naruto dropped Mizuki and grabbed at the kunai embedded in his arm.

"You three fucked everything up for me!" Mizuki snarled as he unhooked one of the two windmill shuriken from his back and started to spin it in preparation for throwing. "Before you die, Naruto, I think you should know why all those people hate you."

Naruto froze.

"You remember reading about how the nine-tailed fox attacked Konoha and was defeated by the Yondaime?" Mizuki sneered. "Well, he did so by sealing the fox into the corpse of a baby, so that the fox animated it and could be raised to be a weapon for Konoha to use. The power of the Kyuubi, obedient to the village. You get it now? _You_ are the Kyuubi! And now I shall destroy you and Orochimaru shall reward me for weakening the village and bringing him the Forbidden Scro- _ooof_!"

The spinning shuriken vanished into the treetops as Mizuki was knocked flying by a spherical projectile. The attacking ball ricocheted off a tree and slammed into Mizuki a second time, then a third and a fourth before bouncing off an exposed root and arcing high into the air, descending with bone-crushing force on the unfortunate traitor, leaving him half-embedded in a crater.

"Whoah." Choji released his technique, then fell over. "Still need to work on that… leaves me dizzy afterwards.

"Shika!" Ino snapped as she moved to hug Naruto, who wasn't moving. "Get your dad… now!"

"Gone!" Shika hurtled off into the woods.

.

"…am I the fox?" Naruto asked quietly, looking round the office at the two generations of Ino-Shika-Cho and the Hokage. From behind his desk, Hiruzen shook his head.

"No. While you _contain_ the fox, you are _not_ the fox. Mizuki lied to you."

"But… he said the fox was sealed into…"

"For something as powerful as the Kyuubi, you need something with a strong, _flexible_ and _active_ Chakra network." Hiruzen stated. "While the Yondaime did indeed use you to seal the Kyuubi into, he could only do so because of your strong Chakra. Had you been dead, he could not have done it, so the fact you are alive now is proof that you were alive back then too."

Shikamaru patted Naruto on the shoulder, reaching up even though Naruto was seated and he was standing.

"It makes sense, Naruto. You need chakra flows to seal things for a long time. That's why storage seals last a month at most unless recharged, the chakra in them has nothing to keep it moving after the original infusion."

"Quite right." Hiruzen agreed. "Now, Naruto, I'm afraid that infiltrating my tower and stealing the scroll without checking that the mission was official means that I'll have to give you a demerit which means it's Sasuke who's the Rookie of the Year."

"Makes sense." Naruto sighed.

"As for you three, you caught a traitor and prevented Naruto from being killed, so I'm listing that as your team's first completed C-rank mission. Well done."

"Thank you, Hokage." Ino bowed, glancing worriedly at Naruto as she did so.

"…Sorry guys." Naruto mumbled. "Looks like I'm on a different team, after all."

* * *

.

**Team**

Kurenai blinked as she saw the looming blond sat in the corner. She had been told that he was far larger than a normal person, but seeing him looming almost six feet tall was quite a surprise to her.

As he shifted, she blinked again at the realization that he was sat on the floor, meaning that he was even larger than that.

Beside her, Asuma gave a low whistle of surprise, then he pulled himself together and stepped forwards. "Team Ten, with me."

The three genin assigned to him rose from their seats and made their way forwards, each one pausing to speak quietly to the looming blond and the girl (Yamanaka Ino, if she was correct,) gave him a kiss on his cheek before moving to the front of the class. As Asuma led his squad out of the classroom, Kurenai managed to finish overcoming her shock.

"Team Eight."

The Blond rose to his feet, hunched slightly to avoid bashing his head on the ceiling as he edged forwards, pausing to allow his two team-mates to move ahead of him. Kurenai stepped through the door, then watched as Naruto ducked through, half-twisting so that his shoulders didn't hit the sides of the doorframe.

Kurenai reflected that she may need to rethink her plans, given that it would be very hard for someone the size of Naruto to hide.

"Do you know where Training Field Eight is?" She asked, covertly gathering her Chakra as she did so. When all three genin nodded, she smiled and cast her genjutsu.

"Meet me there."

The illusion took hold and from their viewpoint, she seemed to ripple out of existence. Quickly stepping aside, Kurenai slid open the door to an empty classroom and slipped through, manipulating the genjutsu as she did so in order to prevent her trio from seeing or hearing the door move. Once she had closed the door behind her, she sprinted to the window and opened it so that she could exit quickly and get to the destination first.

.

Cloaked in another illusion, Kurenai watched with interest as Naruto leapt into the clearing, Hinata and Shino clinging on to his back by means of special straps integrated into his jacket. Dropping to one knee, Naruto waited until the other two had released their grips and landed on the ground, then he stood up again, standing almost ten feet tall and turning slowly as he looked around the field.

"I don't see her." He stated and Kurenai was briefly amused at how his voice didn't quite match his physical presence. "Shikaku-Ojisan told me about Kurenai-Sensei, she's a _Genjutsu_ -specialist. Can either of you spot her?"

Shino nodded. "My Kikkai have found a source of Chakra emanating over there. I believe that she is using a genjutsu to conceal her presence."

" _Byakugan_! You're right, Shino! I can see her."

"It _is_ hard to shield from the _Byakugan_." Kurenai admitted as she let her illusion dissipate. "You made better time than I anticipated."

"Practice." Naruto rubbed the back of his head. "Before graduation, I got into the habit of carrying Ino, Shika and Choji. Ino would sit on my shoulders while Shika and Choji would hold on to the straps. I even got my jacket reinforced across the shoulders to help with that."

"It would certainly help the team move faster." Kurenai agreed even as she made a mental note to work more on her speed and stamina in order to take better advantage of the strategic advantages that he had just revealed.

"And let Hinata use her eyes to watch around us as we moved." Naruto agreed, then he paused and looked at Shino. "Hey, you alright?"

"I believe that I shall be fine." Shino replied calmly. "However, the journey was quite a bit more active than I anticipated."

"I know." Naruto laughed. "Shika complained that although we saved time and moved faster, constantly adjusting his weight to keep balanced could be _troublesome_. Shikaku-Ojisan encouraged it, though, as it meant Shika got exercise without really realizing it."

"The Nara clan are known for their laziness." Kurenai agreed with a slight smile. "So, since I am already familiar with the abilities of the Hyuuga and Aburame clans, can you give us an overview of your skills?"

"Well, I'm big and strong." Naruto started with a chuckle. "Although you may have to take my word for that…"

Hinata giggled at the dry statement while Shino's lips twitched in an abortive smile.

"My Chakra level iscurrently low-to-mid Jonin. It would be higher, but I seem to have an odd bloodlimit that turns Chakra into physical growth, hence…"

Naruto shrugged as Kurenai nodded in understanding.

"As for skills, I can do the leaf exercise, tree-walking and I'm working on mastering water-walking. Choza-Ojisan arranged for me to do some studying with Maito Gai-Sensei, so my taijutsu is fairly good. My preferred weapon is the staff, although I can use the Naginata. Due to how tall I am, swords wouldn't work for me."

"Sweeping attacks are a must for you." Kurenai stated, earning a nod of agreement.

"I have a few jutsu including Pulse Quake. Choza-Ojisan made sure I knew the Travelling Ten and how to cook. Inoichi-Ojisan drilled me in reading, writing, calligraphy and basic psychology while Shikaku-Ojisan was in charge of teaching me logic, tactics and strategy."

"Sounds like a well-rounded education." Kurenai mused.

"Ino, Shika and Choji got the same." Naruto shrugged. "We all studied together."

"Is that an Akamichi Clan-friend Token?" Kurenai pointed at the symbol that Naruto wore on a chain around his neck and the blond nodded.

"Choza-Ojisan gave it to me after I managed to hold him to a draw in a timed no-Jutsu wrestling bout."

Kurenai's eyes widened at the statement.

"He still flattens me if Jutsu are allowed or the match _isn't_ timed." Naruto added quickly.

.

Kurenai slipped in through the nondescript door and silently moved across to the table where the other new Jonin-Sensei had assembled. Sitting down, she accepted the saucer of Sake that Asuma passed across to her.

"So." The son of the Hokage began. "I got a good team, already trained in teamwork. How's your team?"

"Adequate." Kakashi sighed, having put away his book before Kurenai could once again cast a genjutsu on it to turn it into a Yoai story (which had left Kakashi caught between fury and horror the last time, much to the amusement of everyone else at the meeting in question). "Kiba is very team-work focused, but he's not that great on the more subtle parts. I've directed him to learn from Sakura and get her into proper physical shape at the same time. Yours?"

"A lot of potential." Kureni paused as she took a sip of Sake. "Hinata needs her self-confidence increased while Shino needs to learn to relax somewhat."

"And Naruto?" Kakashi asked, his voice failing to hide his curiosity.

"I currently have no idea about him." Kurenai admitted. "His size alone makes it hard for him to hide and while his strength lets him be the hammer, the others aren't strong enough to be a proper anvil for him. Heck, _I'm_ not strong enough in those fields to be the anvil."

"He could be a distraction." Asuma mused. "How are his Chakra levels?"

"Not nearly as high as I anticipated." Kurenai admitted. "Mid-to-high Jonin. More than you, Kakashi, but I expected him to have far more given his…"

Kurenai trailed off, knowing that the other two understood.

"On an unrelated subject, are you up for some co-operative training?" Asuma asked. "My three have trained with Naruto and I'm interested to see if your other two would be able to slot in as well. It would prove useful if we have to take on a mission requiring two teams rather than one."

Kurenai nodded slowly, pondering the suggestion.

It would be interesting to see.

.

Kurenai fought to hide her amusement as she watched her team doing Chakra control exercises. Hinata was sat cross-legged with a senbon balanced on each finger while Shino was balancing a leaf on his forehead and another on the back of each hand.

Their concentration on their tasks was made more obvious by the fact that both of them were sat on Naruto's back as he performed a series of push-ups on the water, switching between both hands and one-handed push-ups with the occasional hand-clap.

Finally, Naruto came to the end of his set and shifted his position, raising his feet so that his body was horizontal and resting only on his hands. For several minutes, he held that position, then he lowered his feet back down.

"You done?" He asked and Hinata quickly returned her senbon to her pouch. Shino didn't seem to react, but his Kikkai swarmed the three leaves and quickly consumed them. Once the bugs had retreated, Shino grabbed onto Naruto's shoulder straps.

"I am ready."

"Me too." Hinata agreed as Naruto straightened up and strode to the edge of the pond where Kurenai was waiting.

"Hello!" She called with a smile. "I see you decided to do some training while waiting. How long were you here?"

"About an hour, Kurenai-Sensei." Hinata replied quietly, but Kurenai could hear the determination in her voice.

"Follow me. Our training will be a little different today."

.

"…and today, the training will be somewhat different." A male voice said as Naruto ran after Kurenai down the path, Hinata and Shino perched on his back as they improved their balance. "And here are the ones training with us today."

Shino ducked to avoid being swept of Naruto's back by a low-hanging branch as Naruto erupted out through the line of bushes to emerge in a training field.

"Naruto!" Ino waved, grinning widely as Shikamaru simply nodded in greetings and Choji paused mid-snack to wave hello.

"Hey, guys." Naruto called back as he slowed to a halt, then dropped to one knee to allow his passengers to disembark. "I'm sue you remember Hinata and Shino, but this is our Jonin-Sensei, Yuhi Kurenai."

"This smokestack…" Ino glowered at the bearded Jonin who simply grinned at her, "…is Sarutobi Asuma, the Hokage's son and our Sensei."

"Pleased to meet you." Naruto nodded in greeting as he stood up, causing Asuma's eyes to widen slightly.

"Wow. I knew you were tall, but…"

"You're lucky to have him on your team." Ino pouted as she made her way towards them. "I think he spoiled us, carrying us around all the time. We actually have to _walk_ now!"

As Ino continued bemoaning the extra work she had to do in the absence of her favorite transportation, Naruto moved to greet the other two genin of Team Ten.

"Ino being troublesome again?"

"When isn't she?" Shika sighed.

"I heard that!"

Naruto burst out laughing as Shika face-palmed.

.

With a grunt of effort, Naruto ripped the stump of the toppled tree out of the ground. As dirt cascaded from the suddenly-unearthed roots, Naruto took two steps, then threw the shattered stump across onto the pile of branches that the other two had gathered while he had been dealing with the main part of the mission.

"That's the last one!" He called, glancing round at the cratered field that had been a copse of trees until the owner had decided to re-purpose it. "Do we need tofill the holes?"

"A pair of chunin are taking care of that part tomorrow." Kurenai replied. "They're both _doton_ users, but they're no longer capable of taking on combat missions."

"Makes sense." Naruto rubbed the sweat from his forehead with the back of one hand. "Well, that's over now."

Kurenai motioned for the team to gather even as she accepted the signed clipboard from the owner of the land they had been clearing. "That's all for today. I'll head to the tower and get the payment processed."

A rumbling sound echoed and Hinata muffled her giggle as Naruto chuckled in embarrassment.

"I think I need to get some food. I'm off the the Akamichi compound. Anyone need a lift anywhere near there?"

"I am fine, Naruto-san." Shino replied.

"I live in the other direction." Hinata shrugged. Naruto nodded before crouching and leaping away, leaving a shallow crater of compacted earth as proof of his exit.

"The longer I spend in his presence, the more impressive his capabilities seem." Shino admitted as he turned to leave. Hinata nodded wordlessly, her eyes activated and tracking the shrinking shape of their giant friend.

* * *

.

**Strength Of Will – Escort**

Kurenai launched herself from the branch that she had landed on, being careful to keep herself within easy visual range of the road on which their client was being carried by Naruto. Behind her, Hinata followed, her _byakugan_ activating in short bursts to scan the surrounding area without excessively draining her chakra, but Kurenai spotted the signs that the girl's stamina was waning.

"Switch." She commanded and Hinata nodded, then used the natural springiness of the branch that she had landed on to catapult herself out of the tree-line. Even as she flew through the air, Shino had swung himself from Naruto's back to crouch on the larger boy's right hand. As they had practiced many times under Kurenai's supervision, Naruto launched Shino on a high arc into the trees, then Hinata landed on his other hand, one hand flashing to his shoulder to stabilize herself. As she re-positioned herself using the carry-straps (being careful not to bump against the sling in which Tazuna was slumped, moaning about his hangover), Shino slotted into position behind Kurenai, several dozen of his bugs flying outwards to reinforce the perimeter that he had been maintaining.

"We appear to be making far better time than anticipated." Shino mused as he briefly caught up with Kurenai. "Naruto is proving his worth."

Kurenai nodded, then glanced over at Hinata, whose eyes had widened in shock. _Reaching_ out with her senses, Kurenai caught the feeling of a localized _Genjutsu_ ahead of them.

"Sensei!" Hinata called. "Two men in a hole in the path ahead, disguised as a puddle!"

"My _kikkai_ confirm." Shino added and Kurenai nodded.

"Who among you throws best?" She asked and Shino pointed at Naruto. "Alright. All stop, I have a plan."

.

The Demon Brothers were renowned for their ability to launch merciless strikes from concealment. While their ability to actually engage in sustained combat was less than expected for shinobi of their level, they rarely needed to due to their concentration on ambush techniques.

Their specialization was one reason that they had lasted as long as they had as Nukenin. Shinobi without Villages rarely engaged in pitched battle as they lacked the support structures that would let them recover quickly from any injuries that they had received. The longest-lasting Nukenin tended to be those who either avoided combat, learned how to win fast or who were so skilled that they did not need the backup that a Village represented.

However, Nukenin also lacked much of the supply structure that Villages represented. While many could just manage to make basic exploding notes or one-use Storage Scrolls, very few indeed used anything more complex than that and as such, they rarely contemplated having such things used against them.

The blunted Kunai that plunged out of the sky and through the illusory puddle that concealed them came as quite a painful surprise to them, especially since the impact of it would leave a huge bruise on the back of one of them. They didn't have enough time to truly consider things, however, as the impact was enough to trigger the tag tied to the ring of the kunai.

.

Hinata winced. "Both Shinobi have been taken down, Sensei."

"That must have hurt." Naruto said, his voice showing a mix of pride and unwilling sympathy. "I've been caught in a Shock Tag trap during training. It really, really stings."

Kurenai simply nodded, a crinkling of her eyes showing her pride in her students, then she pulled out a pair of prisoner scrolls. "Let's secure them, then I can find out who they were after."

.

"Alright." Kurenai stated as she returned to the temporary camp. "I've handed the Demon Brothers over to a patrol that was nearby and sent them back with a request for reinforcements as the situation is _not_ what we were told. With luck, we'll get a Chunin Squad to back us up, if we're really lucky, we may even get a Jonin Trio, although I expect we'll get a Genin Team."

"Wonder if it'll be team ten." Naruto mused and Kurenai shrugged.

"No way of telling. It depends entirely on who's available and willing. It's getting late. We'll camp out here tonight and set off before dawn tomorrow."

.

The fisherman that Tazuna had hired to transport the team to Wave couldn't help but stare at Naruto, who was almost effortlessly running ahead of them, pulling the boat along with a rope that had been fastened to the bow. In the middle of the boat, Hinata sat with her _byakugan_ active, the thick fog engulfing them not hindering her ability to spot any vessels that could intercept them.

"Small boat at two, headed away from us." She whispered just loud enough for Naruto to hear. "They haven't detected us."

Naruto nodded in confirmation that he had heard her, his pace never slacking.

"Shoreline up ahead, no sign at this point of any observers."

.

The misty woods were surprisingly quiet, but it was a deceptive quiet. Shino's bugs had reported at least two Chakra sources around while Hinata had spotted a Kiri Hunter-nin in the area, one who had taken to watching them from concealment. A second person was ahead of them, but Hinata had been hard-pushed to learn more than his location due to the Chakra-heavy technique he was using to increase the density of the mist around himself. Even at this close range, she couldn't see anything about him, other than that he had unslung a large sword and… "Down! Sword left!"

Shino dropped instantly, joining Hinata and Kurenai on the floor while Naruto dropped Tazuna and spun to face the incoming threat. His hand snapped out and was suddenly filled with a blade that would be a two-handed sword for anyone else, but looked a lot like a tanto in his.

"I recognize that blade…" Kurenai breathed as she stood up. "That's the blade of Momochi Zabuza!"

"He seems irritated." Hinata noted as she turned to face where the Nukenin in question was standing.

"It's a nice blade." Naruto added as he hefted the weapon in question. "Handle's a bit thin, but once I re-wrap it enough, it could work. Either that or replace the handle with a shaft so I can use it like a naginata."

Hinata's hand snapped out and a _clang_ of the kunai she had launched being deflected alerted the others to an incoming attacker. Naruto stepped forwards, his spare hand dropped to the _fuuinjutsu_ tag on his belt which held his staff, then sweeping round to impact the pair of kunai that the attacker tried to use to block with. The block proved unequal to the task as Naruto's strength caused one Kunai to break while the other was wrenched out of the attacker's hand, then the continuation of the move slammed the masked man off his feet, sending him smashing into a nearby tree with enough force to leave a large dent. Kurenai's hands snapped through a sequence of seals and their would-be attacker slumped to the ground, then he twitched and bonelessly fell onto his side as a pair of senbon appeared in the side of his neck.

"Thank you for incapacitating him, allowing me to finish him off." The masked figure that had appeared by the now-dead man stated, one hand resting on the shoulder of the one he had taken down. "If you will excuse me, I must dispose of his corpse."

The new arrival vanished with his burden and Kurenai frowned. "That seemed… off."

"He wasn't dead, Sensei." Hinata half-whispered. "He was in a coma… one of the deepest I've seen, but a coma."

"My Kikkai confirm that he wasn't dead." Shino added. "I have a pair of bugs on him and one on the one who removed him. Should we need to, we can find them."

"Let's wait for backup to arrive first." Kurenai decided. "Tazuna-san, are you ready to proceed?"

The elderly man picked himself up from where he had finally wriggled out of the tangled sling that he had been in and nodded, looking round nervously.

"Then let's move out."

For a full mile, the group walked in silence, then Naruto spoke. "This Zabuza, who is he?"

"He's one of the Seven Swordsman of the Mist. Yo're carrying his blade. As a Swordsman, he's a Jonin-level Shinobi, but he fled the Land of Water at the start of their civil war."

Naruto stared at the sword, then at Kurenai. "How did _I_ beat _him_?"

"I've been wondering that as well, Sensei." Shino added and Kurenai laughed mirthlessly.

"He probably assumed that you were an Akamichi. Their relative lack of speed is well documented and since you're far larger than a normal person… If he'd managed to dodge that first strike, we would have been in _serious_ trouble. In a very real sense, his assumption saved us. I'm not the right sort of Jonin to go head to head against someone like him."

.

Zabuza lay on his bed, his body motionless as his assistant prepared the medicines that would help him recover faster from the near-death state that had been employed to get him away from his adversaries.

"Haku." He finally commanded, albeit far less firmly than he normally would. "That team… your observations?"

Haku slowed as he contemplated the request, matching it up with what he had seen. "One of them has unusual eyes, Zabuza-sama. The young girl… the veins around her eyes kept bulging."

"That was probably the _Byakugan_." Zabuza groaned. " A fucking Hyuuga. They knew I was there all along. No wonder they were prepared."

"I saw the large one carrying our target _and_ one of the other two smaller shinobi. He also did some water-walking." Haku continued.

"He's probably a Chunin." Zabuza deduced after a thoughtful pause. "I would guess that he's been trained by that damned Konoha Taijutsu Specialist… the Kamis alone know how he got so large, though. No way in hell is he an Akamichi. I've fought some before and he's completely the wrong body-shape. They're stout strength, this one's a wall of muscle that would put Kisame to shame. Heh, would love to be there to see the Bloody Fish meet him face to face… although I think I need to get _Kubikiribocho_ back first. So, we're up against a Jonin, a skilled Chunin and two genin, one of whom is a natural sensor."

"I… believe that you are correct, Zabuza-sama." Hku replied as he glided across with a bowl of green paste which he began applying to Zabuza's neck. The paralyzed man hissed as the paste was applied.

"Shit, that stuff stings. The woman had red eyes… could she be an Uchiha? I thought most were dead."

"I had heard that too, Zabuza-sama." Haku agreed as he continued to gently apply the paste. "If she survived the death of her clan, she must be very skilled."

"Means that I daren't go head-to-head against her." Zabuza grumbled. "Going up against another Shisui… this mission just gets worse and worse."

.

"Why is this sword so important?" Naruto asked as he turned the blade over in his hands.

"It's one of the Seven Swords of the Mist." Kurenai replied, lowering her goblet. "The Kubikiribocho. In combat, it never dulls and it absorbs blood to repair itself."

"That sounds… almost worrying." Shino admitted. "A swordsman who does not need to disengage in order to wipe off the blade, who can perform moves that would damage the blade knowing that it will repair itself… that is the weapon of one who is very skilled."

"Fortunately, the Swordsmen tended to be specialists." Kurenai stated. "Their skill-sets were based around their weapons and the use thereof. Without their weapon to work with, their threat levels were generally assumed to be reduced by a rank or two."

"So as long as I hold this, we could take him out?" Naruto asked, only for Kurenai to shake her head.

"I think it more than likely that Zabuza would have a backup sword with which he could use his techniques. While it would not have the same self-repair abilities as that one, he would probably use it specifically to reclaim Kubikiribocho."

"Shame I'm too big for a sword to be useful." Naruto sighed. "Either of you two want this?"

"I do not believe that I am strong enough to be able to use a blade that size." Shino managed after a moment.

"My clan don't like using weapons." Hinata sighed.

"Sensei?"

"Keep it for now. Maybe you'll be able to get it adjusted for you."

.

"Times like this I wish I'd listened to my Sensei." Zabuza sighed as he lay on the bed, his fingers occasionally twitching. "But _noooooo_ , I was an arrogant bastard. _Always have a backup weapon_ he said. _I was selected to be a Swordsman, I don't_ need _a backup weapon_ I said. Why the _hell_ didn't I learn from what happened to Biwa Juzo. Haku, remind me to get a backup sword once we get out of this mess!"

"Of course, Zabuza-sama."

"Is there anything else that could go wrong?"

"…yes, Zabuza-sama."

Zabuza blinked, then managed to roll his head to see the trio in the doorway. His eyes focused on one of them and hardened. "You'd better be treating my sword right or I'll squirm over there and bite you!"

"Youthful, isn't he?" The green-clad man laughed and the red-eyes woman (who _wasn't_ an Uchiha, now that he had managed to get a good look at her eyes) shrugged.

"I think he'll be disappointed that with your help, we took down Gato. Of course we also found out that Gato planned to have him killed, so…"

Zabuza stared at them, then rolled his head back so that he was staring at the ceiling. "Haku."

"Yes, Zabuza-sama?"

"Next time I declare that things can't get worse, give me a good clout to the head. That or freeze me and drag me somewhere that I can't get in trouble."

"…freeze?" The woman asked and Zabuza blinked, then gave Haku a long look before rolling to face her again.

"What's your name?"

"Kurenai, Jonin of Konoha."

"Konoha loves bloodlimits." Zabuza mused. "You know, I think that we may be able to make a deal… but I want my sword back!"

Haku stood motionless, then he half-turned to look at his Sensei. "Zabuza-sama, why do I not think that I am going to like this?"

"Naruto, take Hinata and Shino back to the house and rejoin Gai's team." Kurenai commanded. "Leave Kubikiribocho here."

.

Several hours later, Kurenai emerged from the hideout and rejoined Gai, who was passing the time by performing one-handed vertical push-ups. The Taijutsu specialist flipped to his feet and smiled broadly.

"It is all finished?"

"It is." Kurenai stated as she tucked a notebook and small stasis-scroll into a concealed pocket. "It may take another generation or two to pay off, but we also have even more information on more of the unaffiliated Nukenin."

.

"I cannot believe that you made me do that." Haku grumbled, facing away from Zabuza.

"Stop complaining and pack up the cash." The older man replied sharply, his limp hand resting on the handle of his sword. "As soon as I get better, we're heading back to liberate Kirigakure."

"…yes, Zabuza."

The bandage-wrapped man frowned. He may have pushed his apprentice too far this time.

He'd have to try and think of some way to restore the boy's respect for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naruto ate over a dozen pills. That means that the effect will last at least 4096 days (one, doubled twelve times) or just over eleven years. However, since the effect stops during puberty, there is an upper limit not dependent on the number of pills consumed.  
> As for the effect, Naruto is having part of his chakra (and Kurama's) redirected so instead of using it for techniques, it is being used inside his body to augment and enhance his physical growth. Since chakra is dependent on physicality (including nutrition) and mental acuity (being able to actually think), Naruto's going to get a very unexpected boost that he didn't get in canon.


End file.
